James Potter and the Tomb of Slytherin
by Marauders4EVR
Summary: Year One of the Marauders.  With friendships made, as well as rivalries; pranks, humor, and danger await around every corner. And as an evil force arises, the boys' first year soon turns into a battle to see their second.
1. Chapter One: Letters

Disclaimer: Gryffindor is red, Ravenclaw is blue, I don't own Harry Potter, but neither do you.

Yes, despite my attempts to posses J.K. Rowling's soul (and gain her fabulous wealth, happiness, and of course the Harry Potter franchise), it turns out that I am not a witch, nor an author of a story pertaining to one.

This is just a humorous disclaimer. I do not now nor will I ever attempt to take over J.K. Rowling's soul. And if I be wrong, let Vampire Ninjas rain from the sky and pelt me with marshmallows! :)

James Potter and the Tomb of Slytherin

Chapter One: Letters of Acceptance

A/N: This chapter is unique in the fact that it is told through different Points of View. Normally, they will be told from James's Point of View. However, I wanted to stress the differences between the six families.

There was nothing about the misty night that would suggest that something sinister was in the air.

In the heart of London, on an old abandoned street, a small Pop! rang out.

A woman had appeared, so suddenly it was as though she had been there the whole time. An alley cat reared it's back into an arch, hissing.

The woman shooed him off, but the cat didn't move. The woman's eyes narrowed, before she turned and walked down the street.

She was aware that the cat was following her, yet she didn't turn around. Soon, the cat's footsteps were joined by several pairs of human's.

The woman stopped, "Who's there?"

No one answered, and the woman took a deep breath. Slowly she turned around.

A flash of green light seared across the cobblestone road.

The woman screamed, falling, and the alley cat hissed.

**~James~**

Several miles away, a different type of hissing could be heard. A plump, kind-faced woman took the kettle off of the stove and poured herself a cup of tea. She was wearing an apron and a smile, as she entered the sitting room.

"Morning dear," she said to her husband. Mr. Potter was tall, thin, and balding. He smiled back, but the hazel eyes behind his glasses were sad. He was holding a newspaper.

"What's the matter?" Mrs. Potter inquired, immediately.

Mr. Potter sighed, "Jayne Bones disappeared last night."

Mrs. Potter's eyes filled with tears.

Mr. Potter went on, "She was a good Auror. Of course the Daily Prophet says she disappeared. I wouldn't be surprised if she was murdered on the spot…"

Mrs. Potter shushed him as the door to the sitting room opened.

"Morning, Mum! Morning, Dad!"

James Potter walked in, grinning from ear to ear. He was small for his age, and slightly skinny, despite the amount of food his mother cooked him. A pair of perfectly round glasses sat in front of his hazel eyes on a rather long nose.

James didn't look different from any other boy his age. However, James was as different as different could come. For James Potter was a wizard, along with the rest of his family.

"Good morning dear!" Mrs. Potter said, beaming. She hugged her son tightly.

"Happy Birthday son!" Mr. Potter said, cheerily, clapping his hand on James's back.

"I made you a special birthday cake," Mrs. Potter piped up, "It's in on the counter."

James rushed off to the kitchen. Mrs. Potter took the moment to whisper, "We'll talk later. I don't want to worry him!"

"He knows more than you let on, Elizabeth," Mr. Potter whispered back.

Meanwhile, in the kitchen, James was staring hungrily at a large three-tiered cake sitting on the counter. Just as he was about to taste it, another thing caught his eye.

"Is that…?" he gasped, seeing the official-looking envelope made out of heavy parchment. He opened it carefully. Several pieces of parchment fell out.

Dear Mr. Potter,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment. Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Deputy Headmistress

"My Hogwarts letter!" he raced back into the living room, "I can't believe it! Can I take my owl? What about my broom? Are we going to go to Diagon Alley?"

His mother and father chuckled, watching as an excited James bounced on the couch.

Mr. Potter gave a start, hearing a distant knocking at the front door.

He went into the entrance room, "Who's there?" he called sharply.

"It is I, Admiral Fudge of the Auror Office at the Ministry for Magic, wishing to make a casual consult with you, Lieutenant Potter."

Looking bewildered, Mr. Potter opened the door and saluted his superior.

"Admiral. To what do we owe this honor?"

"Oh, I merely wish to give my condolences to young Master Potter's birthday. I say, Potter, have I ever been to your house?"

"I daresay you haven't," Mr. Potter said, his brow furrowing suspiciously.

"Yes, well, it's a nice…err…farmhouse you have here. Quite large, but not as large as I would've thought? It was my understanding that you were quite wealthy? Perhaps a raise is in order?"

"I can assure you, Admiral, that we do have a lot of money," Mr. Potter said quietly, "Yet, we understand that a family's value is placed on it's actions, not how large their manor is."

"Yes but still," Admiral Fudge pressed, "You do have a reputation to uphold. No matter. As I said, I was here to congratulate your son. Where might he be?"

Mr. Potter led him into the sitting room. Upon seeing Admiral Fudge's stern face, James stopped bouncing at once.

Admiral Fudge mumbled a quick, "Happy Birthday," before sitting down on the squashy loveseat. He looked around, taking in every detail of the room.

"Did you hear about Jayne Bones?" Mr. Potter inquired.

Admiral Fudge gave a start, "What's that? Oh, yes. Tragic, simply tragic. I wonder, Mrs. Potter, may I use your restroom?"

Mrs. Potter looked surprised, but nevertheless she stood up.

"Oh no, no need to get up. I'll find my own way, thank you."

As soon as he left, James half-rose from the couch, but Mr. Potter gently pushed him down again.

"What's he doing here?" James snapped.

"James!" Mrs. Potter scolded, softly, "Mind your manners."

"Everything's alright son," Mr. Potter said, though he sounded uncertain.

Then, suddenly, James understood, "He's raiding our house?"

When his father looked away, James's eyes flashed, "Can he do that? Is that even legal? We have nothing to hide! He shouldn't be sneaking around. You should do something; you should stop him!"

"James," Mr. Potter said quietly, "Even if I could, it would only lead to more trouble."

James didn't know what to say. He had always looked up to his father; and here he was, stepping aside while the Ministry acted illegally.

Mrs. Potter gave her son a small peck on the cheek, "Perhaps you should go out and play in the garden, dear?"

James sighed but slinked outside. He had just picked up his broomstick when something caught his eye. The shades that would normally be over his bedroom window were closed.

Before James even knew what he was doing, he found himself slipping inside the side-door and up the secret staircase that led onto the landing where his room was. He opened the door, and felt his jaw drop.

His room was never exactly clean, but James was staring at a disaster zone. His bed was overturned, the covers thrown onto the floor. His dustbin was lying on it's side, and the books on his bookshelf were opened, with pages ripped out.

In the center of his room was Admiral Fudge, peering inside the trunk where James kept his prank supplies.

"Lose something?" James asked loudly.

Admiral Fudge jumped, "Ah, M…Master Potter. I…no…I was just admiring your room. T…tell me. Would you consider these bombs to be lethal?"

James stared at him with disbelief, "They're Dungbombs you…" James stopped, a mischievous glint in his eye, "You know what? Let me show you how they work!"

A moment later, Admiral Fudge was racing down the stairs, yelling. His uniform was stained, and a horrible stench rose off of him, courtesy of the seven Dungbombs James had let off. James chased after him, throwing the last Dungbombs.

There were running footsteps as Mr. and Mrs. Potter appeared.

"James!" Mrs. Potter gasped, horrified, "What have you done!"

A wave of unusual guilt washed over James, "Sorry Dad," he mumbled, remembering how his father didn't want any trouble.

To his surprise, however, Mr. Potter put his hand on James's shoulder, "Don't be, son. You were brave enough to do the very thing that I couldn't; standing up to the Ministry. Now I'm not saying that how you dealt with…err…Fudge was right. But, if you continue to show the courage that you showed today, I'm certain that you will end up in Gryffindor."

James beamed.

**~Sirius~**

In the heart of London, in the topmost room of Number 12, Grimmauld Place, another boy was not smiling. Sirius Black sat on his large goblin-made bed, staring around at his gloomy room. His long raven hair hung into his face, covering his gray eyes.

"UP!" Sirius heard his mother screech. At once, he sprang to his feet and clambered down the stairs to the kitchen, located in the basement.

The rest of his family was sitting at the table that took up most of the room.

His mother, Walaburga, was wearing an elaborate gown. She would've been quite beautiful, had she not been wearing an ugly scowl.

His father, Orion, had his black hair pulled back into a ponytail. He was also wearing elegant robes. Sirius's younger brother, Regulus, was a nine-year old version of Orion.

"Mornin'," Sirius muttered.

"Stove!" Walaburga snapped, pointing to the old stove in the corner.

"Yes, it is," Sirius congratulated her, mockingly.

His parents were not amused.

"Cook the breakfast!" Orion demanded.

"Fine!" Sirius snapped back, but he couldn't repress the depressed sigh.

He walked over to the stove. He was barely tall enough to reach the burners, but he managed to pile some eggs into one pan and steak into another.

"You better not burn mine," Regulus threatened.

"Wouldn't dream of it, little brother," Sirius said, sarcastically.

When the steak and eggs were finished, Sirius made himself a pitiful bowl of cold, lumpy, porridge. He ate this at the furthest end of the table as possible from the rest of his family.

Nevertheless, he could still hear his mother say to his father, "Did you hear about that Auror who supposedly 'disappeared'?"

The two laughed, evilly, knowing very well that the Auror was probably murdered.

"Serves her right," Regulus said, his mouth full of steak, "I heard she was a filthy Mudblood!"

"Well said, son," Orion raised his glass.

"How can you say that?" Sirius shot back, angrily, "She doesn't deserve to die, just because she's Muggle-Born!"

His comment was met with three incredulous, fuming looks.

"Shut up and eat your porridge!" his mother shrieked.

Sirius sighed, and like always, obeyed.

He had just finished when his mother stood up, "Follow me, you little wretch!"

Sirius followed her upstairs, apprehensively. He was certain that his outburst at breakfast would cause him, dearly. As they climbed the stairs, Sirius slowed down. Was his mother going to lock him in his room again? And if so, for how long?

However, his mother led him into the drawing room.

"What do you see here?" she said, pointing to a faded tapestry.

"A tapestry," Sirius said, monotonic.

"It is a tapestry of the Most Noble and Ancient House of Black," his mother snapped back.

Sirius suppressed a groan.

Walaburga glared at him, "It is an honor to be a Black! Toujours pur! Remember that!"

"How can I forget?" Sirius muttered, "You scream it to me everyday."

"Don't interrupt," Walaburga roared, "Now then, you, like every other member of the Black family, have been accepted to Hogwarts. Whilst there, you WILL remember who you are and you WILL carry out the honor of the Black family."

She paused then hissed, "Or else."

She turned and left Sirius standing there, stunned.

Sirius couldn't help but to do a jump for joy.

In a few months he would be at Hogwarts; away from his precious family and their precious Pure-Blood, Dark Arts beliefs.

For the first time in a while, Sirius grinned.

**~Lupin~**

Rain was pouring down onto the gray countryside of Britain. Nestled in the dying woods was a small, shabby looking shack. Quite a ways away from the shack was a small cage. Lying in it was a thin, scarred, boy.

Remus Lupin was sleeping on the cold ground. He wasn't clothed, but didn't seemed to notice nor care.

A woman came out of the shack, "Remus dear?" Lupin's mother said softly, "It's morning."

She unlocked the cage and helped Lupin into a scruffy pair of robes, similar to her own. "You poor thing," she cooed, taking in her son's injuries, "Just look at you! Come on, dear, let's get you into the house."

She led her son into the shack. It was pathetic on the inside. A moldy couch sat in the corner. This is where Mrs. Lupin slept. A small splintery table and mismatched chairs sat in another corner, next to a buzzing icebox and coal stove. A lumpy mattress sat against the back wall: where Lupin slept.

Mrs. Lupin gave her son the last bit of bread.

"But Mum," Lupin retorted, "What will you eat?"

"I ate earlier, love," Mrs. Lupin lied. She sat down and took out a newspaper. Unlike her son, Mrs. Lupin was a Muggle. Lupin's father, John, had been a wizard. Unfortunately, he had left several years ago.

Mrs. Lupin sighed, "Oh dear, another disappearance. I always worry with your cage being so far away from the house…"

"Mum, don't worry," Lupin said, aghast at the idea of moving the cage closer, "Besides, no one will want to kidnap a monster."

"Remus Lupin," she said sharply, "You are not a monster. You are…"

She noticed Lupin suppress a yawn and immediately said, "…tired. Come on. Into bed!"

She helped Lupin onto the lumpy mattress. Lupin fell into an uneasy rest. When he woke up, he saw his mother sitting on the couch. Another man was sitting next to her. He was quite old, with several feet of long, silver, hair and a beard. He had half-moon glasses on top of a crooked nose.

"Hello Mr. Lupin," the man said kindly, "My name is Professor Albus Dumbledore. I am the Headmaster of Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. May I talk to you for a minute?"

Lupin nodded, numbly. He followed Professor Dumbledore outside, noting that it was no longer raining.

"How do you sleep?" Professor Dumbledore asked kindly.

"Fine, sir," Lupin said, embarrassed, "I know our house seems a bit…"

He broke off, before mumbling, "Well…my Mum and I are happy."


	2. Chapter One: Part Two

**Sorry guys. Fanfiction is giving me a hard time. Must be the chapter was too long. Oh well, here's Part Two of Chapter One: Letters:**

Dumbledore beamed, "Sometimes that's all that matters. Well, I am here to personally invite you to attend Hogwarts."

Lupin's mouth dropped. He had dreamed of going to Hogwarts for years, but always knew that it was a hopeless desire.

"But sir…" he gasped, "What about my…condition?"

Dumbledore raised his hand, "Everything is taken care of."

Lupin's knees felt weak. So many thoughts were running through his mind, that for a moment he was speechless. Dumbledore waited, patiently.

"P…Professor," Lupin finally stuttered, "Sir, we don't have a lot of…that is to say, we can't…we can't afford…"

"Hogwarts will gladly pay for your expenses," Dumbledore assured him.

Lupin shook his head, "N…no. I couldn't ask you to do that."

"It's no trouble at all, Mr. Lupin," Dumbledore said gently, "Please, think about it."

Lupin didn't know what to say. He just nodded, numbly.

Later that night, he sat awake on his mattress, his mind buzzing with thoughts. This was his chance; a chance to act like a normal wizard.

But still, he couldn't risk it. What if everyone found out? He was a danger.

But if Dumbledore said that everything was under control…well, Lupin couldn't help but to trust Dumbledore.

He lied down, and found that the mattress was comfier than he had ever realized.

**~Peter~**

In the suburbs of London, in a small townhouse, in what appeared to be a frilly nursery, a plump, round boy was trying to squeeze himself under his bed.

"Peter? Peter dear, it's Mummy," Mrs. Pettigrew knocked on the door.

"I'm n…n…not coming out!" Peter squeaked. He had given up on trying to fit under the bed, and was now clutching his teddy bear, tightly.

"Peter, dear, please come out!" Mrs. Pettigrew pleaded, "Nothing's going to hurt you!"

Peter, however, knew different. He had just read the Daily Prophet, something that his parents advised on doing, because it gave him night terrors.

"B…b…but that one woman d…disappeared!" Peter squealed, "I…I…I could be next! And…I'm…a…I'm a Squib! I…c…can't protect myself!"

Peter's family was unusual in the sense that both his mother and father were Squibs. Because of this, they lived in a Muggle neighborhood. While one Squib in the family was unusual, two Squibs was almost unheard of. Peter was quite certain that he was a Squib too. Anytime he did Accidental Magic, it ended up going terribly wrong.

"You're not a Squib, Peter," Mrs. Pettigrew sighed, exasperated, "That's what I've been trying to tell you. I just got your Hogwarts letter?"

Peter stopped shaking, his eyes widening, his face breaking out into a gummy smile. "Did you hear that Mr. Teddy? I _am_ a wizard! I'm going to go to Hogwarts! I'm a big boy!"

"Come on dear," Mrs. Pettigrew coaxed, "Come on out."

Peter took a deep breath and walked to the door. Then he realized something, "W…wait. T…the letter. I could get a…a…p…paper cut!"

He squealed and ran back to his bed, hiding under his pink bedcovers.

**~Lily~**

Lying under a pink bedspread was a girl with long, dark, red hair and brilliant, almond-shaped, green eyes.

Lily Evans had just woken up and was appreciating the tranquility of the new morning.

Then, with a loud bang, her door flew open.

"Get up, you little brat!" her sister screeched, "There's a stranger here who wants to see you. She's dressed like a freak!"

Lily groaned, sitting up. She was apparently to slow for Petunia who grabbed her hair and pulled.

"I said, get up! She's in the sitting room! GO!"

Massaging her head, Lily walked downstairs into the sitting room. She was taken aback by the woman who was sitting on her couch. The woman was wearing emerald green robes and a matching pointed hat, that sat on top of a tight bun. She peered at Lily, through square spectacles.

"Hello, Miss Evans. My name is Professor McGonagall."

"A…are you from Hogwarts?" Lily whispered, sitting down.

Professor McGonagall looked surprised, "Indeed. You know about Hogwarts, then? I was under the impression that you were Muggle born?"

"I am," Lily said quickly, "My friend, Severus, told me. So it's…it's real?"

Professor McGonagall smiled, "Yes, it is real. You are a witch. And you have been accepted to Hogwarts: School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Here's your letter."

Lily read it aloud. She had just reached the supply list when her parents came in, courtesy of Petunia.

"Lily, what's going on?" he father asked.

"This is Professor McGonagall," Lily said, smiling, "She's come to tell me that I've been accepted to Hogwarts! See, I told you it was real!"

Mrs. Evans sighed, "Now, Lily, darling. I know you mean well, but why don't you wait to pretend until after our company leaves."

"But Mum," Lily said.

"Don't be stupid!" Petunia interrupted, "Of course it's not real!"

"I'm afraid it is," Professor McGonagall said. For the next quarter of an hour, she explained everything that the Evans needed to know about magic and Hogwarts.

When she was done, Mr. and Mrs. Evans looked shocked. Petunia, however, looked livid, "So that slimy, greasy, whelp was right?"

"If your talking about Severus!" Lily stood up, indignantly, "He's my best friend!" She looked at Professor McGonagall hopefully, "Did he get a Hogwarts letter too?"

"Severus Snape? Yes, I believe so," Professor McGonagall nodded.

"Good," Lily sighed with relief.

Petunia's eye twitched, "Fine. You can go be freaks together!"

Lily ignored her, staring at her letter in awe.

**~Snivell…Err…I mean…Snape~**

In a rundown, dusty, brick rowhouse in Spinner's End, a boy was staring at a heavy envelope that had just appeared at his window, via owl.

Severus Snape looked up at the dark red owl. It gave a raucous hoot, as if this place was the last in which the owl wanted to be, and began to take off.

"Wait," Snape said, holding onto the owl's talons, "Stay. Please. Keep me company."

The owl screeched and bit down onto Snape's hand. Swearing, Snape let go. It flew away, never looking back.

Snape sighed. He was quite tired, having been up all night listening to his parents yells. He crossed the small, miserable room, and unlocked the door. He listened and, assuming that it was safe, walked down to the den.

His father Tobias, was lying on the floor, bottles strewn about him. His mother, Eileen, was busy picking up the bottles. Snape saw that her face was bruised and cut.

"Mum," he said quietly.

"Ssshh," his mother hushed him quickly, "Your father's…not feeling well."

"Mum…"

"Severus please," his mother pleaded, trying to make him pretend that everything was alright.

Snape quieted. He went to leave the room, but before he did, he said, "I got my Hogwarts letter today."

"Oh, well done," Eileen said, absentmindedly, "You got accepted, I suppose? Just like your father."

Snape stared at her, his black eyes blazing, "No. No, I'm nothing like him at all."

There was a sudden knocking at the door.

Snape hurried out of the room as his father stirred.

"Lily?" he gasped, opening the door, "What are you doing here?"

For even though he and Lily had been friends for years, Snape had never taken her to his house, for very good reasons.

"I couldn't wait!" Lily said breathlessly, "I got my letter, Sev!"

Snape's face shown with delight, but he glanced behind him and grabbed Lily's hand, leading her away. When at last, they were half a dozen blocks away, he stopped.

"I got mine too," he said, shyly.

"Oh Sev!" Lily whispered, "We're going to Hogwarts!"

She hugged him tightly, and any glum thoughts Snape had disappeared.

"You'll stay with me, at Hogwarts? Won't you?" she whispered.

Snape hugged her back, "Always."

**A rich, modest family, with a mischievous, well-loved son.**

**A wealthy, Dark-Arts loving family, with an unwanted son.**

**A poor, struggling family, with a son that seems to have a dark secret, but tries to make the most of things.**

**A family of Squibs with a terrified, chubby, son.**

**A Muggle family with a daughter, who's brilliant at everything she does.**

**And Snape.**

**Six families, six different children, all coming together in one destined adventure at Hogwarts.**

**End of Chapter One.**

**I promise the next chapters won't be as long.**

**This chapter is now on Youtube! Go to Marauders4EVR's channel. Made with The Sims 2! :)**


	3. Chapter Two: Disaster in Diagon Alley

Disclaimer: Although J.K. Rowling and I share many aspects in our series (We both have sentences, words, paragraphs, etc.), I do not own any part of her success.

Chapter Two: Disaster in Diagon Alley

Autumn was fast approaching. The days were getting shorter; the nights, cooler. For the first time in his life, James was actually excited that summer was almost over.

One morning he woke up, the daily smell of his mother's baking wafting through the house. He slid down the banisters into the kitchen, but was shocked to find that his father was sitting at the kitchen table.

"Dad, won't you be late for work?" James asked, as Mrs. Potter dumped several fried eggs onto his plate.

"Well, the Auror Office decided that it might be best if I put in less hours," Mr. Potter said.

James stared at him, "Since when?" he said, quietly.

Mr. Potter sighed, knowing his son was smart enough to see through him, "For about two weeks, now."

James nodded slowly, "You've been sacked because I threw those Dungbombs?"

"No," Mr. Potter said quickly, "No, I have way too many years and way too much experience for the Auror Office to sack me. They can't even discharge me from my battalion. However, I won't be working as much; at least not on the front line."

Mrs. Potter was now adding sausage to the plates, "Well, I for one think it's a good thing that you're not going to be in danger, everyday."

For a moment, James sat in silence. Finally he said, "But, we're okay financially, right? I mean, we have plenty of money."

Mr. Potter nodded, "It's true. We Potters' are immensely wealthy. In fact, I probably don't have to work at all. However, I'm an Auror because I want to try and end this war before it begins."

James nodded, understanding.

"James, dear," Mrs. Potter said, "I was thinking today would be a good day to go to Diagon Alley."

James looked up, his spirits rising.

"We've got your school supply list, and I need to pick up a few things as well," Mrs. Potter went on.

"Can we go to Gambol and Japes?" James asked, excitedly.

Mrs. Potter laughed, "We need to focus on getting your supplies first. Then, afterwards, we might be able to stop at the joke shop."

James grinned.

After breakfast, the three went down to the den, where the main fireplace was.

"I'll go first, shall I?" Mr. Potter said. He was coming with them to Diagon Alley. This was rare, as he was usually on missions.

He took down an ornate vase off of the mantelpiece, and grabbed a handful of powder from inside it.

He then ducked inside the hearth.

"Diagon Alley," he said, clearly, dropping the powder. There was a rush of green flames, and he was gone.

"Now James, remember to keep your arms to your side and speak very clearly," Mrs. Potter started.

"Mum," James groaned, "Everybody knows how to use Floo Powder!"

"Alright dear," Mrs. Potter said, anxiously.

James stepped over the grate and took a handful of powder.

"Diagon Alley!"

There was a roar of green flames and James suddenly found himself spinning very fast. The whirling green was making James seasick. He wanted to close his eyes, but knew that he had to keep them opened. Then, just when he thought that he couldn't take it anymore, he zoomed out of another grate, onto a hard, dusty, floor.

Coughing out ash, James looked up, seeing his father's smiling face.

"There you go," Mr. Potter said, helping him up.

James saw that he was in the Leaky Cauldron. Tom, the old barman, nodded a greeting to him.

Mr. Potter brushed the soot off, "So, what'd you think?"

"I think I prefer brooms," James choked.

His dad chuckled just as Mrs. Potter whirled out of the fire.

"How'd you do dear?" she asked James, kindly.

"Err…" James reddened, but Mr. Potter clapped a hand on his shoulder saying,

"He did just fine."

Still pink in the face, James followed his parents out into a small, dusty courtyard.

"Three up, two across," he recited, watching his father tap certain bricks with his wand.

The back wall quivered and the slowly split open to reveal a large, winding, cobblestone street on which there were many different kinds of stores.

"Wow," James whispered. Even though he had been to Diagon Alley before, the pure sight of it still amazed him. He spun around, taking in all of the shops at once. Madam Malkin's Robes for All; The Apothecary; Ollivanders; Eeylops Owl Emporium.

"Can we go to Ollivanders first?" James begged.

His parents agreed and James rushed off to the small, dusty, wand shop.

Upon entering, he saw that the walls were lined with narrow boxes that reached the ceiling.

"Hello?" Mr. Potter called, importantly.

"Good morning," a misty voice came out, "Ah, Mr. Potter. I suppose you are here to get your wand?"

Mr. Ollivander came out from the back. He had wild, white, hair and large, shining, eyes.

James nodded, firmly.

"Very good," Mr. Ollivander whispered. He flicked his own wand and a tape-measurer appeared, taking James's measurements.

"Now then, Mr. Potter, try this one: Holly and Unicorn hair. 12 ½ inches. Springy!"

He handed it to James, who waved it rather clumsily. The wand shot out of his hand, narrowly missing his parents.

"I suppose not," Mr. Ollivander said, bustling over to the boxes, "No matter, no matter. Let me see, here. Ah! Ash and Dragon Heartstring. 10 ¼ inches. Swishy."

James waved again and several lights overhead exploded.

"Not to worry!" Mr. Ollivander called over the popping, "We've had worse! Third time's the charm, I always say! Mahogany and Phoenix Feather. 11 inches even. Pliable."

James raised the wand. A warm, happy, feeling seared through his body. Red and gold sparks shot out of the end of the wand. His parents clapped, approvingly.

"Well done, James!" Mr. Potter boomed.

Mrs. Potter took out her handbag and paid Ollivander.

Meanwhile, without waiting for his parents, James ran outside, looking for things to jinx.

He waved his wand, excitedly. Nearby, a tall pile of cauldrons collapsed. Horrified, James looked around and ran for it. He got swept up in the crowd, and before he knew it he was being pushed further and further from the wand shop.

"Mum? Dad?" he called.

James's heart soared as he saw Gambol and Japes: the wizard joke shop.

He pressed his hands and face eagerly on the window. Grinning, excitedly, he turned around, and then resisted the urge to scream.

He had come face to face with a man the size of James. It had dark, wrinkled skin, wispy hair, a pointed nose, and equal, pointy teeth.

"Good day," the goblin said, "Be you a thriving friend or a filthy thief?"

James saw that he was standing outside of Gringotts: the wizard bank.

"I…I…" James stammered. He had always been slightly frightened of goblins. They always made his hair stand on end, and he always felt uneasy.

"James," his father said sharply, as he and his parents finally reached him, "Are you alright?"

James swallowed, "Yes sir."

"You gave us quite a scare dear. We thought you had gotten hurt by that pile of cauldrons falling."

Mr. Potter met James's eye, saw the truth, and winked.

"Anyway, we need to get some more money out of our vault, before we do anything else," Mrs. Potter said, "Shall we go in?"

James opened his mouth, eyeing the goblin, anxiously.

"N…no, that's alright. I'll just stay out here, shall I?"

Mrs. Potter looked worried, "James, darling, you can't stay out here with a bunch of strangers."

"In a few weeks, I'll be going to a school that's filled with nothing but strangers," James muttered, "Strangers don't bother me…"

Mr. Potter nodded, "He'll be fine, Elizabeth."

Mrs. Potter hesitated, but finally entered the large doors. Mr. Potter turned, staring at James patiently, and kindly, but also knowingly.

"Strangers don't bother me," James repeated, not meeting his father's gaze, "Goblins on the other hand…"

Mr. Potter nodded, again, "It's quite alright, James. I understand."

James still looked miserable, "So much for being in Gryffindor."

"No," his father said sternly, "James, bravery is not the same as fearlessness. A brave person admits his fears, and then seeks to conquer them."

James looked up, nodding.

Mr. Potter winked, "If I were you, I'd take this perfect opportunity to check out that joke shop."

James grinned, "Thanks Dad."

He set off towards Gambol and Japes and slipped inside.

It was a colorful, busy shop, with shelves upon shelves lined with every prank device imaginable.

James inhaled, "Ah, the sweet smell of Dungbombs and Stinkpellets."

"Hey there, that's a good nose," said a voice above him. James looked up to see a boy floating near the ceiling. He had raven black hair that reached the center of his back; shining, silver eyes; and a mischievous grin.

"They just got in a new shipment," the boy continued.

"I'm guessing they also got a new shipment of Levitating Balloons," James guessed, grinning.

"You guessed right," the boy exclaimed, "There's a free sample over there!"

James grabbed a balloon and blew it up. As he sucked the air back out of it, he could feel himself lifting off of the air.

"Brilliant!" he said, "My name's James Potter."

The boy grinned, "People around here call me Sirius Black. Probably because my name really is Sirius Black."

The two laughed, and as they did they hovered back to the ground.

"Check this out!" James grinned, ushering Sirius over to a miniature, inflatable, bouncy house. The two wasted no time jumping on it. With every jump, the inflatable gave off a loud farting noise.

"Hey!" a voice screeched. The store owner, an old, sour-looking, man was stomping over, "That bouncy house is not for bouncing!"

The two stopped.

"Then what is it for?" James asked, cheekily.

"Don't be a smart-aleck!" the owner shot back, "Ugh, I hate children!"

"Well it's a good thing you work in a joke-shop then," Sirius muttered, as the owner marched away.

"You know what," James said thoughtfully, "I think he needs to have a taste of his own products!"

Sirius beamed, "You read my mind!"

He motioned to a corner, towards a giant supply of Filibuster's Fireworks.

The two smirked and crept over. Sirius pulled a match out of his pocket and lit it. He lit it on several of the fuses. The two covered their ears and ran out of the shop, hiding behind several dustbins.

Several large detonations erupted from inside the shop. The windows blew out as giant, colorful, explosions erupted into the air, making loud noises.

The boys jumped and cheered, high-fiving each other.

"Brilliant!" James cried, "Come on, I'll buy you an ice-cream to celebrate!"

The two went to Florean Fortescue's Ice Cream Parlor, where they sat out on the patio, talking, excitedly.

As they slurped down giant sundaes, James learned that Sirius was also planning on attending Hogwarts.

James dug into his pocket, pulling out several Galleons. He threw them on the table, saying casually, "So, what do you think about Quidditch?"

All of a sudden, James felt himself be pushed to the ground. A boy in all-black robes with his hood pulled up had just ran past him, snatching the galleons.

"Hey!" James cried, as Sirius helped him up, "Get back here, thief!"

The two raced after the boy, but he was too quick. He dodged into an alley and quickly climbed a tall iron fence, racing away.

James pulled out his wand as Sirius tried to climb over the fence.

"Get back here, you coward!" James yelled, waving his wand, threateningly.

"James!" a shocked voice behind him said. His mother and father had come racing up the alley, "What's going on?"

"Some bandit just knocked me to the ground!" James roared, as Sirius struggled to get over the top.

"What? James, you poor darling, are you alright? How old was he?" Mrs. Potter cried.

"He looked around our age, ma'am," Sirius grunted.

Mr. Potter sighed, gravely.

"James, please put your wand away. And son, please get down before you harm yourself.," he said, helping Sirius off of the gate.

"It's too late to catch him," Mr. Potter went on.

James sighed, bitterly, "I wish you had caught him, Dad

Mr. Potter looked thoughtful, "If I had, I would've gently scolded him. And then I would've given him back the Galleons."

Sirius and James looked stunned.

"His robes," James's dad continued, "Were they nice-looking?"

"No, sir," Sirius noted, "They were shabby."

"In other words, he looked as though he needed the money," Mr. Potter said, gently, "What he did was wrong, but if he was truly that desperate, it is our duty to help him instead of punish him."

Sirius was looking at Mr. Potter thoughtfully.

"James dear," Mrs. Potter spoke up, "Who's your new friend?"

"Mum," James groaned but Sirius grinned, "Sirius Black, ma'am."

"Well it's nice to meet you, Sirius!" Mrs. Potter hugged the baffled boy.

"Same here, Mrs. Potter," Sirius said, awkwardly.

"Listen mate, sorry for all of this," James apologized.

Sirius punched his shoulder, "Don't worry about it, mate. It was all worth it for the fireworks."

"What fireworks?" Mrs. Potter asked, her eyebrows narrowing.

"Nothing," the boys exclaimed, quickly.

"See you at Hogwarts, James!" Sirius said, even quicker, and ran away.

James's mind was far away from his body as the rest of the shopping, continued.

He was thinking of everything that his father had said today. More importantly, he was thinking about his new companion. As he fell asleep, later that night, visions of exploding fireworks danced in his head.


	4. Chapter Three: The Hogwarts Express

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter. Not at all. That's it. No more. Good-bye. The end. Any questions? Speaking of questions:

A/N: I've been getting a lot of questions about the thief. Unfortunately, the thief himself is relatively unimportant. The only real relevant things are that Sirius immediately helped James, and Mr. Potter's speech.

Chapter Three: All Aboard The Hogwarts Express

His trunk was packed, his broom was lonely in it's shed, and his brand new owl, Bandit, was in his cage.

James Potter was ready to go to Hogwarts.

"James, dear, quickly!" his mother called from downstairs, "We'll be late!"

James hurried downstairs, where his mother and father were waiting.

"Now, dear, are you sure you don't want to change your mind?" Mrs. Potter asked, hopefully.

"We're not using Floo Powder are we?" he asked, apprehensively.

"No, no," Mr. Potter held out his arm, "Grab on now. Quickly!"

James hesitated and grabbed his father's sleeve. The world seemed to be spinning around him. Then, everything went black. He felt as though he was in a dark box, with the walls closing around him. He couldn't breathe!

Then, shakily, he landed next to his parents. Looking around, he saw that he was in King's Cross Station.

"I…I Apparated?" he gasped.

"Side-Along Apparation," his mother nodded, "You did quite well for your age, dear. Many people fell nauseous."

James could see why. His stomach seemed to be rolling, "I definitely prefer brooms," he muttered. His parents laughed and led him into the station and marched towards a brick wall between Platforms 9 and 10.

"Okay James," Mrs. Potter said, "All you need to do is walk straight through the wall, between those platforms.

"W…what?" James cried, in disbelief.

"Trust us, son," Mr. Potter said, "You need to go, quickly!"

James hesitated, but knew that he was running out of time. He grabbed his trolley and walked towards the barrier. He closed his eyes and broke out into a run. He was going to crash any second now. Faster and faster he ran until:

"Watch it!"

He collided with something very solid and went flying over his trolley, landing on the hard ground. Dazed, he opened his eyes, to see a familiar, grinning face next to him.

"I'd hoped that we'd run into each other at Hogwarts," Sirius Black grinned, "I guess you should be careful what you wish for!"

"Sorry," James gasped, "I was trying to get into Platform 9 ¾. My mum and dad said to run at the barrier and I must've lost control and…"

"Calm down!" Sirius laughed, helping James up, "You made it, didn't you?"

James gave a start, and then looked around. He was on a platform surrounded by witches and wizards, as evidenced by their clothing. A large, scarlet, train was waiting for him, underneath a sign that said: Platform 9 ¾.

"I made it," James repeated, grinning.

"Well done," Sirius said, sarcastically, "Though next time, might I suggest opening your eyes, before you get squashed by the train!"

The two laughed, just as James's parents walked through the barrier.

"Alright, James?" Mr. Potter said.

Sirius grinned, "Let's just say he came in with a bang."

"Oh! Hello there, Sirius, dear!" Mrs. Potter beamed.

"How was the rest of your summer, son?" Mr. Potter asked.

"Fine, Mr. Potter," Sirius mumbled, embarrassed.

There was then a mixture of tears, hugs, and good-byes. As appreciative, and embarrassed, as James was, he wished they would stop. He couldn't see Sirius's parents anywhere, and had a feeling that they hadn't accompanied him at all. However, even Sirius somehow managed to find himself being hugged and fussed over by the Potters'. Finally, James and Sirius's trunks were heaved up into a shared compartment.

"Now you are going to stay in the compartment until you reach Hogwarts, right dear? No wondering off," his mother insisted, worried.

James promised. There was more hugs and more farewells and then suddenly Mr. and Mrs. Potter were gone. Sirius and James had just settled back onto the benches when something caught James's eye. Out on the platform, a pudgy boy was bawling.

"Sirius, look," James pointed.

The two hesitated, checked their time, and opened the compartment door, slipping out onto the platform.

"What's wrong?" James asked, abashed, as the boy's sobs grew louder.

"M…my teddy!" the boy blubbered, "A…g…gang of S…Slytherins…stole it!"

He pointed to a large willow.

"So why don't you just get it?" James pressed.

"A…afraid of…heights," the boy squeaked.

James rolled his eyes, "C'mon, Sirius."

The two went over to the tree. Sirius gave James a boost. He carefully climbed up, weaving in and out of branches. A whistle sounded nearby.

James had just managed to grab hold of the ratted stuffed animal, when the branch gave away. He fell to the ground, bouncing. Sirius helped him up.

The two suddenly froze. They had suddenly noticed how quiet it was. Then a second whistle rang out and a chugging noise could be heard.

"The train!" James moaned. It was slowly pulling out of the station.

"Run for it!" Sirius roared. The two raced as fast as they could. Sirius jumped and just managed to grab onto a handrail at the very back of the train, getting his footing.

The train was speeding up now. James ran as fast as he could. He jumped just as the train raced through a tunnel.

James tried to find his footing, but with a strangled yell he fell.

"James!"

Someone had grabbed him. As they sped out of the tunnel, James saw that he was literally hanging off of the train. Sirius was holding onto him, straining.

"Hold on!" Sirius yelled.

"What else am I supposed to do?" James bellowed back.

Grunting, Sirius managed to pull James up, just as the train reached full speed. The two grabbed onto the handle of the end door, pulled it, and fell into a small hallway, panting.

"You alright?" Sirius gasped.

"I think so. Thanks for that."

"Don't mention it," Sirius wheezed.

The two stood up, shakily. James peered through a window of a compartment, and saw Peter Pettigrew sitting alone, the rest of the compartment filled with sweets from the trolley. James wrenched open the door, "Here's your blasted bear!" he snapped, chucking it at Peter.

Without waiting for a response, he and Sirius set off towards their compartment.

They had just reached it when Sirius stopped James, "Listen."

From the compartment to their right, they heard someone sneer, "Oh, so you're just a filthy Mudblood!"

Without hesitating, James opened the door. Several large, beastly, Slytherins were towering over a girl. For a second James couldn't breathe. She was beautiful. Her long, dark red, hair fell to the center of her back. Her eyes were almond-shaped, beautifully green, and filled with tears.

Finding his voice, James said, "Did I hear someone use the "M" word?"

One of the Slytherins looked over towards him, "Yeah, don't you know that this compartment is filled with the stench of Mudblood?"

James sniffed, "Yeah, you're right. I do smell something."

Sirius also sniffed, "Yeah I smell it too. I just thought it was from the Dungbombs."

"What Dungbombs?" a blond-haired boy said, coolly.

"Why, the ones that we're about to throw of course," James said pleasantly. He and Sirius took half a dozen out of their pockets and threw them in all directions. Grabbing the girl's hand, the two ran for it just as the compartment exploded in a cloud of golden smoke.

"Thank you," the girl said. James turned red.

Sirius grinned, "My name's Sirius Black. And this here is my mate, James Potter. Looks like he fancies you."

"Wha…I…no," James stammered, "I mean not that you're…I just…d'you want to come back to our compartment?"

The girl hesitated before nodding, "Yes, please. And my name's Lily. Lily Evans."

The three went into the compartment and sat down.

"You two look like you ran a marathon," Lily commented.

James didn't know what a marathon was, but he nodded, "Yeah, we had to catch the bloody train."

They told Lily what happened, excited to have an audience. Lily was only half-listening, her face pressed against the window. They had just gotten to the part where James jumped when the door opened again.

A greasy-haired boy with a hooked nose, sallow skin, and cold eyes came in. He saw Lily and marched over. The two started muttering something about Lily's sister.

"You'd better be in Slytherin," they heard the boy say after a minute.

"Slytherin?" James spoke up, "Who wants to be in Slytherin? I think I'd leave, wouldn't you?"

He looked at Sirius grinning, but Sirius didn't return the smile.

"My whole family have been in Slytherin," he said.

"Blimey," said James, "And I thought you seemed all right!"

Sirius grinned.

"Maybe I'll break the tradition. Where are you heading, if you've got the choice?"

James lifted an invisible sword.

"'Gryffindor, where dwell the brave at heart!' Like my dad!"

The boy made a small, disparaging noise. James turned on him.

"Got a problem with that?"

"No," said the boy, though his slight sneer said otherwise. "If you'd rather be brawny than brainy—"

"Where're you hoping to go, seeing as you're neither?" interjected Sirius. James roared with laughter. Lily sat up, rather flushed, and looked from James to Sirius in dislike.

"Come on, Severus, let's find another compartment."

"Oooooo. . . "

James and Sirius imitated her lofty voice; James tried to trip Severus as he passed.

"See ya, Snivellus!" Sirius called, as the compartment door slammed.

Roaring with laughter, the two sat back, enjoying the rest of the trip. By the time the train slowed down, the sun had set and stars were twinkling against the black sky.

Pulling on his robes, James found that his legs had turned to lead, and his stomach into jelly. What if he was in Slytherin with that greasy haired git?

"Coming?" Sirius called. James realized that the train had stopped completely.

He nodded, stepping off onto the platform. Students were busy hurrying in all directions. James realized that he had no idea what he was supposed to do. Judging Sirius's face, he didn't either. Then, a loud, booming, voice echoed across the platform.

"Firs' years, budge up now! O'er here! All firs' years!"

James and Sirius didn't mean to be rude, but they couldn't help it when their jaws dropped. A giant man was coming their way. He looked at least five times as tall as James. He had wild, black hair that covered most of his face. He wore a giant moleskin coat.

Peering down at James, he smiled, "Hullo there James! Don't 'spect you 'member me, eh? Nah, I know y'er father 'course, but you was a lot smaller the las' time I was at your house!"

James swallowed, "Who are you?" he whispered, before hastily adding, "Sir?"

The giant chuckled, "No need to call me, "sir". Me name's Rubeus Hagrid. 'Been instructed to get you lot o'er to the castle. FIRST YEARS!"

When Hagrid had collected all of the first years, he escorted them down a long, winding, path. They finally came to the edge of a large, black, lake. Several rowboats were waiting for them. James and Sirius scrambled into a rowboat. To their disappointment, Peter Pettigrew climbed in next to them. He was still clutching his bear.

"FORWARD!" Hagrid roared. The boats sped off across the lake.

Then, everyone gasped. They were staring at a magnificent castle, sitting high upon a cliff. Welcoming light blazed from thousands of windows. Large towers and turrets rose from it. It was beautiful and entrancing.

James was so exhausted, that the next few moments passed in a blur. He was aware that the boats landed, and that he was being led through a large pair of double oak doors. There, they were met by a tall, stern-looking woman wearing emerald green robes and a matching pointed hat, that sat on top of a tight bun.

"Thank you, Hagrid. Students, my name is Professor McGonagall."

Professor McGonagall then went into a very long lecture about Hogwarts. James hardly listened; he was too worn out.

"…and then you will be sorted," Professor McGonagall finished, "Although, for some of you, a sorting hardly seems necessary."

She peered at Sirius, who swallowed but stared right back.

They were then led into the Great Hall. It was a mark of how weary James was, because he hardly noticed that the ceiling resembled the night sky, or the thousands of floating candles. He barely even remembered any of the Sorting Hat's song. In fact, he only snapped to attention when he heard the hat call:

"Black, Sirius."

Filled with dread, James watched as Sirius sat on the stool. He had said that his entire family had been in Slytherin.

The hat was dropped onto Sirius's head.

"Another Black, eh?" James heard.

"GET OUT OF MY HEAD!" Sirius shrieked. Several people laughed.

There was a long pause. James squirmed.

"Well I know just where to put you," the hat finally said.

Then:

"Gryffindor!"

"YES!" Sirius roared. He jumped up and came face-to-face with Professor McGonagall, "HA!" he screamed in her face. He then proceeded to half-dance/half-skip over to where James was standing, giving him a high-five.

He then stopped, suddenly, his smile fading into an expression of horror, "I am so dead," he whispered, dreadfully, going over to the Gryffindor table.

James saw with delight that Lily Evans was also made a Gryffindor. He was shocked to find out that Peter Pettigrew was one, as well. Then:

"Potter, James."

James swallowed and walked up to the stool. The hat was dropped over his head.

"Ah, yes, Mr. Potter," a voice whispered, "Noble and brave. Willing to sacrifice himself for not only his friends, but strangers he has not yet met. And willing to admit that he is not without fear. Yes, Mr. Potter. I think that you'll be best in: GRYFFINDOR!"

James cheered with the rest and ran over to sit next to Sirius. The two laughed, talking excitedly. When the sorting was finished, Professor Dumbledore stood up.

"There is much to be said, but nothing that can't wait until after we…eat!"

Their plates filled up with delicious food. James had just started to dig in when the doors to the Great Hall opened.

A nurse came in, followed by a small, thin-looking boy, in scruffy looking robes. He was very pale, and even James could see the scars on his face. In fact, James realized, everyone else seemed to be staring at the boy.

Sirius seemed to be reading his thoughts, "It looks like he's walking the death row instead of getting sorted," he whispered.

The boy, sensing that everyone was looking at him, stopped. He looked nervous beyond comparison; before whispering to no one in particular, "Hello."

Sirius and James glanced at each other, jumped up, and skipped over to the boy.

"Why hello there!" Sirius cried, excitedly shaking the boy's hand.

"Nice to meet you!" James boomed, animatedly, patting the boy on the back.

The boy froze, "What're you doing? Everyone's looking!"

"They were looking anyway," James muttered, grinning, "We're just giving the something to look at!"

They grabbed the boy by the elbows and skipped down the aisle to the stool.

The boy sat down and the hat deemed him a Gryffindor.

James and Sirius cheered and whooped, radically.

"Brilliant!" James grinned, "So, what's your name, newbie?"

"Remus Lupin," the boy muttered.

"Nice to meet you, Remus," James said kindly, "I'm James Potter."

"Lupin," the boy mumbled, "You can call me Lupin."

Sirius nodded, "And you can call me Lord Sirius of the Blacks, the Awesome, Valiant, and Ultimately Triumphant of all Pixies."

He held a serious expression for about half a minute, before cracking up, along with James. Even Lupin managed to chuckle.

As the boys dug into their food, laughing, and enjoying themselves, James felt that he had found a new home and a new family.


	5. Chapter Three: Extended Ending

Extended Ending of Chapter Three:

_*James*_

_His parents were surrounded by Death Eaters._

"_Be a good boy, James," his father said, smiling sadly._

"_We love you so much, dear," his mother whispered, also smiling._

"_Run…" they whispered, "Run…"_

_The Death Eaters raised their wands. James screamed. It was too late…_

_The green light engulfed them. They smiled, hugging each other as it circled around them…_

_James was standing over their lifeless bodies. Tears poured down his face. The tears quickly turned to blood._

"_No," he whispered._

_A voice was whispering, "They're coming for you! They're coming!"_

_James tried to run, but he couldn't move. More green light…_

_*Sirius*_

_Sirius opened his eyes. For a second he had hoped that it hadn't been a dream. Then he sighed. He had dreamed that he had finally gone to Hogwarts and had gotten sorted into Gryffindor._

_Now, his father was standing over his bed at Grimmauld Place, "Up!"_

_Orion walked out of the room, saying, "Follow."_

_Sirius yawned and obeyed._

_He followed his father outside. They stared up at the stars, which were clearly visible, despite being in the heart of London._

"_There it is," Orion said, "The Orion constellation. And there you are. The Sirius star."_

_He turned to tower over Sirius. Sirius felt himself shrinking._

"_Do you know why you were named accordingly?" his father's voice boomed, "You were named after the Dog star. That's all you are. A filthy, good for nothing, mutt. Trained to be loyal to his master. Trained to obey."_

_Sirius turned to run away but he found that the ground was no longer there. Instead, he was falling through the stars . . ._

_*Lupin*_

_It was a beautiful night. The stars were shining brightly and the moon was full. Remus Lupin was but six years old. However, his parents allowed him to go outside and play. After all, they lived in a safe neighborhood…_

_Lupin had picked up a twig and was pretending to wave it like a wand…_

_He remembered seeing a pair of red eyes in the hedge._

_Red, like blood…_

_Blood…_

_There was blood everywhere…_

_Lupin was screaming…_

_His screams turned into his father's screams, "I can't take it anymore! We've tried everything to cure him! I can't be around him anymore!"_

_The door slamming…_

_His mother crying…_

_Pain…_

_Blood…_

_*Peter*_

_Peter was standing outside his house. He looked around, confused. Then, shrugging, he entered._

"_Hello Peter."_

_Peter screamed. A horrible, demon, devil shape was standing in the hallway._

"_You? A Gryffindor? You're just a coward! Join us Peter…"_

_Join us…_

_Join us…_

James woke up with a scream. He was drenched with sweat, and for a moment he didn't know where he was. Then he remembered, he was at Hogwarts, in the Gryffindor Boys' Dormitory.

He realized quickly that he wasn't the only one who had cried out. Peter Pettigrew was sobbing, "Mummy! Mummy!"

"Calm down," a soft voice was cooing. It belonged to Remus Lupin, who was looking shaken, yet was doing his best to comfort Peter. Sirius's curtains were drawn on his four-poster.

"What happened?" James asked, shakily.

Lupin looked up, gravely, "Nocturne Nougat."

"Come again?"

"It was in some of the desserts that we ate at the feast. I think they might've been expired. We have all seemed to have nightmares."

James nodded. That would explain things.

"Sirius?" he called, "Sirius, are you okay?"

The curtains were ripped open, "I'm fine, Potter," a voice growled.

James blinked, "Sorry."

"Nah, I'm sorry," Sirius mumbled, "I just…didn't sleep that well."

Lupin quickly explained his theory.

"I don't want to go back to sleep," Peter squeaked.

"It'll wear off soon," Lupin said kindly, "Maybe eating something will help. Does anyone have any food?"

Sirius and James shook their heads but Peter, embarrassed, pulled out a good-sized cooler out of his trunk. He started to read off various foods. Lupin stopped him when he reached a pack of marshmallows.

"I have an idea," Lupin said quietly, "I know a spell…mind you, it could be dangerous…"

James and Sirius's eyes lit up with excitement.

Lupin crossed over to his trunk, where he took a large washbasin and put it in the center of the room. He then pulled out his wand and muttered several words. Soon the bowl was filled with bright, warming, flames.

The boys spent the remainder of the night roasting marshmallows, talking about the most randomness topics and laughing at the stupidest things. Even hours after the nougat had worn off, they kept talking and laughing.

James stuffed a burnt marshmallow into his mouth and grinned. Grinning around at the others, a warm feeling passed through his body; one that he was sure wasn't from the fire.


	6. Chapter Four: The First Week

Disclaimer: Wouldn't it be funny if I really was J.K. Rowling writing under a penname. Alas, I am not. Or am I?

Chapter Four: The First Week

James woke up the next morning, feeling bright and refreshed. He grinned and pulled his Gryffindor robes on.

"Coming, mate?" he called to Sirius's four-poster.

Sirius pulled back his curtains, grimacing. James blinked twice, but he couldn't mistake the Slytherin robes that Sirius was wearing.

"They changed overnight," Sirius said, miserably, reading James's mind, "D'you have a pair that I can borrow?"

"Sure," James said, perplexed. He tossed Sirius a spare set, an watched in shock as Sirius slipped them on, and the red turned to green.

The two finally gave up and went on their daily adventure to try and trace their steps back to the Great Hall.

There were 142 staircases at Hogwarts. Some turned into a slide if you stepped on them wrong. Other's only moved if you spoke in Latin. Once the stairs actually landed, it was a hassle to try and get through the hundreds of corridors. More than once James wondered if the school was changing its layout.

They finally burst into the Great Hall an hour later, panting. They sat down and loaded their plates with food, eating hungrily. It seemed generations ago that they had sat down at the small bonfire.

Professor McGonagall was walking down the aisle, handing out schedules. She stopped, at the sight of Sirius, looking quite irritated.

"Mr. Black! I realize that you may very well want to be in Slytherin with the rest of your family. However, for whatever reason, you have been placed in Gryffindor. As such, you are expected to wear the Gryffindor uniform. Is that understood?"

For the first time since James met him, Sirius looked livid. His eyes blazed with anger and his teeth clenched. He stood up, and for a moment, he seemed as tall as Professor McGonagall.

"Professor, I'm certainly sorry that I'm wearing these blasted robes. As it so happens, my robes were jinxed to look like this; no doubt, an act from my wrathful family. Speaking of my family, had I been sorted into Slytherin, I would've gotten up and walked right out the door. Because, despite your clear prejudice judgments, I resent the fact that I share my name with a bunch of cold-blooded, Dark-Arts loving, pure-blooded, maniac, bastards!"

He whirled around and stomped away, leaving Professor McGonagall in shock. James hastily swallowed his eggs, grabbed his schedule, and raced after Sirius.

Unfortunately, the first class they had was Transfiguration. They sat down in the back, avoiding Professor McGonagall's gaze. James couldn't help but to notice, however, that Sirius's robes were changed back to normal.

He tried to cheer Sirius up by pointing to Severus Snape, who had his hooked-nose in a book.

"The grease marks on his nose will soak right through the cover," he chortled.

Sirius grinned, "He can use the rags that he wears to wipe them off!"

Professor McGonagall, sensing trouble, looked up, just as the bell rang.

Laughing, James and Sirius grabbed their bags and left. The class poured out into the Transfiguration Courtyard.

"If you want to see tattered robes, I suggest that you look at Remus Lupin," Snape sneered, loudly, "The only thing that's worse that his robes is his face. It looks like someone took a rake to it!"

Lupin pushed past James, blinking very quickly.

Furious, Sirius and James whipped around and shoved Snape up to a pillar.

Peter, who was standing next to them, squeaked and dove behind a bush.

The movement made Lupin stop, "What are you doing?" he cried, horrified, as James and Sirius took out their wands. He raced over, trying to wrestle the wands away.

"Shove off Lupin," Sirius grunted, "We're trying to protect your honor!"

"What honor could scum like that possibly have?" Snape said.

Lupin looked up, his eyes blazing. For a moment he looked as though he wanted to take out his own wand.

"Stop it!" a voice cried out, "Stop it, right now!"

Professor McGonagall was racing over, looking furious. James, Sirius, and Lupin stepped back, their wands still raised.

"Put those away at once!" Professor McGonagall snapped, "Black, Potter, Lupin, follow me to my office, now!"

"No!" James and Sirius said quickly. When Professor McGonagall looked as though she was about to explode, James continued hastily, "Not Lupin. He was trying to break us apart."

Professor McGonagall stared at them for a moment before nodding. Sighing, the two followed her back into the classroom.

"I would have never believed it," she breathed, "Two Gryffindors, fighting on the first day of school. For your actions, five points will be taken away from your house!"

James groaned and Sirius swore under his breath.

Professor McGonagall's eyes turned to slits, "Be thankful it's not more. Also, you will both receive detention."

James and Sirius shrugged light-heartedly at this. Professor McGonagall dismissed them. Sighing, the two left. As soon as they got outside, they saw Lupin, waiting for them.

"What happened?" Lupin asked, concerned.

"Detention!" James said pleasantly.

"First day of school, that must be a new record!" Sirius grinned.

The two high-fived.

Lupin shook his head, "I'm going in there to straighten things out."

"Forget it," James said, firmly, "Besides, Snape deserved it. He shouldn't have been insulting you."

"Well, it's not exactly private," Lupin muttered, "Snape's right. I am just a piece of scum with raggedy robes and horrifying scars."

With a sickening noise, James slapped him, rather harshly.

"What was that for?" Lupin roared.

"For being a bloody idiot," James said, "What d'you think you're playing at, listening to a git like that? You got sorted into Gryffindor, didn't you? He's a Slytherin! What does he know?"

"Besides, we would've probably gotten detention anyway," Sirius grinned. He clapped Lupin on the shoulder, "C'mon, I'm hungry."

Lupin gave them an appreciative smile and the three set off across the Transfiguration Courtyard. Yet, once again, they were met by Professor McGonagall.

"Mr. Lupin, I could not help but to overhear your conversation. Is what they said true?" she asked, peering down at them, "Mr. Snape was provoking you?"

Lupin swallowed, before admitting, "Yes, Professor."

Professor McGonagall was thinking hard, "Very well, Misters Potter, Black. I will reward your five points back. However, fighting is not tolerated, no matter what the reason is. You will still receive detention."

James's heart rose slightly. They thanked Professor McGonagall and made their way to the Great Hall.

They had just finished their roasted sandwiches when a Prefect came over, bearing a note for him and Sirius,

_Kindly report to my office at 9:00 tonight. You will be spending your detention doing lines._

_Professor McGonagall_

It was much better than he had expected. Later that night, he and Sirius trudged back to Professor McGonagall's office. Their detention only lasted an hour, yet it was still enough to leave James and Sirius exhausted.

They were walking back up to the Common Room when they heard a voice hiss from the shadows.

"Well, well, my itty, bitty, baby cousin."

Their hair standing on end, James and Sirius looked around.

A seventh-year came out from behind a gargoyle. She had a sleek perm, blazing black eyes, and a sinister smirk. She didn't have any real distinguishing features, but there was something about her that made James shiver, as though her entire presence created an air of Dark Magic and evil.

"Bellatrix," Sirius said, swallowing but holding his ground.

"Detention," Bellatrix whispered, "First you have the audacity to get sorted into Gryffindor. And then, on the first day of school, you get detention. Tsk, tsk, I always knew you were a _naughty_ _little_ _brute_!"

The back of her hand slapped Sirius's cheek before he could even react. He stumbled backwards, rubbing the gashes.

"I've sent a letter. You just wait until _she_ hears about this!" Bellatrix hissed before swiftly racing away.

"Who is 'she'?" James asked, concerned.

Sirius looked rather pale as he said, "My mum."

They found out just exactly what Sirius's mother thought, the following Friday. Exhausted from the week's classes, James hardly noticed when a school owl dropped a letter into his lap. It was from Hagrid, inviting him to tea that afternoon.

"Sirius, do you want to come down to Hagrid's?" James asked, before seeing that Sirius was very distracted.

He had also received mail, from a large eagle-owl, who bit him before flying away. The envelope was black and formal. It had the Black Family crest where a stamp should be. Sirius was staring at it with horror.

"What is it?" James asked, curious.

"Nothing," Sirius said, monotonic, "It's nothing."

"O…open it," Peter stuttered.

Sirius hesitated, then, against his best judgment, complied.

A shrill voice filled the Great Hall:

"_**SIRIUS ORION BLACK! HOW DARE YOU! HOW DARE YOU DEBASE THE BLACK FAMILY NAME…! HOW DARE YOU GET SORTED INTO THAT DAMNED HOUSE, FILLED WITH MUDBLOODS AND BLOOD-TRAITORS ALIKE…! YOU HAVE BROUGHT DISGRACE ON YOUR ENTIRE HERITAGE! I WARNED YOU…! MARK MY WORDS, BOY, IF YOU SO MUCH AS FRATERNIZE WITH ONE OF THOSE WRETCHES, YOU WILL NOT LIVE TO SEE THAT COMMON ROOM!"**_

No one spoke.

Finally, Peter whispered, "She sounds lovely."

All of a sudden, the envelope exploded into an amount of charcoal-black slime. It covered Sirius, who staggered back, yelling.

"Sirius!" James jumped up, horrified. But Sirius wouldn't look at him. Stumbling, he ran out of the Great Hall.

James, Lupin, and Peter had Flying next. Flying was, by far, James's favorite course. In his opinion, he was the best flyer in the class, and couldn't resist showing off. However, he barely did several loops, before becoming distracted by Sirius.

James flew over to Lupin, who was holding onto his broom very tightly.

"Was that a Howler?" James whispered.

"H…howlers are r…red aren't they?" Peter asked, flying over. He was hanging in a sloth-position on his broom, looking as though he was going to fall off any moment.

"What do you reckon that slime was?" Lupin inquired. The others shrugged.

James opened his mouth, but before he could say anything, Peter slipped off of his broom. He landed with a thud, and for a second, he sat, looked stunned. Then, great tears flowed out of his eyes.

Determining that Peter was scared more than he was hurt, the others decided to at least escort him to a bathroom to wash up.

As soon as they opened the bathroom door, however, their grins faded into a horrorstruck expression.

"Sirius?" James whispered, shocked.

Sirius was lying by the sinks. He was convulsing, his eyes wide-open. Yet, the worst part was his skin. His face, arms, and legs were covered with an encrusted, solid, black, substance.

"SIRIUS!" James yelled, panicked. He ran over to his friend.

"Don't touch his skin!" Lupin ordered, but it was too late. James's hand brushed against Sirius's. James jumped back, yelling in pain. He watched in horror as his entire hand blistered.

Kneeling down, stricken with worry, James carefully grabbed Sirius's shoulders, holding him down.

A soft noise was coming out of Sirius's mouth, which was foaming.

"Listen!" James cried, frantically, "He's trying to say something!"

"No," Lupin said, slowly, "He's screaming!"

"Do something!" James ordered, his eyes filled with tears, "Get help!"

Lupin nodded and ran away.

"Sirius?" James cried, "Sirius!"

Abruptly, Sirius's shaking stopped. He lay quite still. His chest fell, and didn't rise again. James felt his own stomach turn to ice.

"Sirius? Sirius can you hear me? No!" James roared, shaking Sirius violently, "No Sirius, you can't be dead! Wake up! Wake up, Sirius!"

Peter was sobbing, "He's dead! He's dead! Oh, where's Lupin?"

"We can't afford to wait!" James cried, "Help me!"

He carefully propped Sirius up. Peter, however, didn't move.

"Help me!" James roared.

"He…he thinks we're just Mudblood-loving scum," Peter whispered, darkly, "You h…heard his mother."

James realized what Peter was getting at. For a moment, a sickening, dark feeling welled up inside James's stomach. If Peter was right, and Sirius did truly feel that way, would he return the favor if the roles had been reversed? Would he be upset? Would he try to save their lives?

For a moment, James didn't speak. Then, he looked up and met Peter's gaze.

"Help me."

Peter hesitated then obeyed. He went on Sirius's other side, putting his limp arm around Peter's neck.

The two couldn't ignore the blisters appearing on their own skin, as Sirius's skin brushed against theirs. Grimacing in pain, and bending under Sirius's weight, they dragged him out into the corridor.

Lupin, meanwhile, had burst into the Great Hall, where lunch had commenced. Forgetting his shyness, forgetting his modesty, he ran up the aisle, shouting. He didn't hush until he was right in front of Professor Dumbledore.

Dumbledore, Professor McGonagall, and Madame Pomfrey jumped up, upon hearing Lupin's tearful story. They quickly followed him out to the Entrance Hall, where an adrenaline-rushed James and Peter had managed to pull Sirius.

Professor McGonagall bent down, trying to pry James from Sirius.

"No!" James cried, beyond himself, "Sirius! _Sirius_!"

"Potter, calm down!" Professor McGonagall gasped.

James turned onto her, angrily, "He tried to warn you about his robes, but all you did was judge him! Now he's as good as dead!"

Professor McGonagall turned white.

Dumbledore was bending over Sirius, muttering intensely. A silver glow spread around Sirius's lifeless body. It swirled around him, slowly changing his skin back to normal. Then, with a shuddering breath, Sirius's eyes flew open.

Coughing violently, he sat up, looking around.

"Bloody hell, if this is the afterlife, it sure reeks."

"Sirius!" James cried. He picked his friend up and hugged him tightly. The hug was joined by Lupin and Peter.

Dumbledore straightened up, "Sirius, do you remember the dispatcher of the letter that you received?"

Sirius's silver eyes met Dumbledore's blue ones.

"I don't know sir," Sirius mumbled, "I can't remember a thing."

James opened his mouth angrily, but Sirius gave him a well-aimed kick.

Dumbledore was surveying them closely. At last, he nodded, "Very well."

"Why'd you stop me from telling Dumbledore what had happened?" James asked, yet again.

Several hours had passed since the incident. Deeming Sirius well enough to leave the Hospital Wing, the four had trudged down to Hagrid's, where they were now sipping on some strong tea. Sirius set his mug on the table, thinking.

"Because I don't want him to know that it was my parents."

Lupin gave a start, "Aha, so you do remember, then?"

Sirius looked furious with himself, "Yeah. But as far as Professor Dumbledore's concerned, I don't. He doesn't need to know."

With a disturbing, crunching noise, Hagrid put his giant hand on Sirius's shoulder.

"Don' yeh worry, Sirius. Jus' go an' tell Dumbledore. He'll protect yeh."

"I'm not afraid," Sirius insisted, "Believe me, they won't try anything again. I just…I just can't tell Dumbledore."

James was staring down at Sirius with disbelief, "You're protecting them!"

Sirius looked away, but didn't deny it.

Baffled, Lupin whispered, "Why?"

"Because," Sirius said quietly, "They're my family. They're all I've got."

James drained his teacup, and told Sirius, "You've got us."

That day changed the Marauders forever. James realized that it took a great deal of bravery and friendship to save someone who's parents clearly loathed James and his way of living. Yet, James soon realized that it was Sirius's denial of his parents' beliefs that caused him to get harmed in the first place. Nevertheless, the act brought the four Gryffindors together, into a strong bond of friendship.


	7. Chapter Five: Defending the Dwelling

Disclaimer: anCay ouyay eadray igPay atinLay? (Sorry Spell Check) Iway oday otnay ownway arryHay otterPay.

Chapter Five: Defending the Dwelling

In the end, James could hardly remember a time where he wasn't best friends with Sirius, Lupin, or Peter. As the weeks progressed, the four ran around the school with an air of mischief and importance. People stood aside for them as they came down the corridor. Teachers awarded them extra points. It was a good thing, because it seemed that they were losing points at every minute.

Even Lupin's pacifist nature could not stop James and Sirius from pulling pranks at every opportunity. In fact, his nagging often had consequences, leading James and Sirius to new horizons and ideas. Peter would often accompany James and Sirius whenever they pulled a prank. It was to an extent of their friendship that the two didn't snap at him at every wake, because he was usually more trouble than it was worth. Still, it was nice to have someone cheering them on.

Not everyone at school was charmed by the four friends. They had to choose their victims wisely, taking into consideration that they were, after all, only first years. However, they were a match for anyone who would challenge them, and it so happened that several people did. Severus Snape seemed to be lurking wherever they went, finding a way to stick his hooked-nose into their business. Much to James's disappointment, Lily Evans had grown quite furious with him and Sirius after the train-incident. This did not stop James and Sirius, however. Soon, Snape became their new favorite target.

Sirius did not receive anymore letters from home; something that he seemed quite happy with. However, James was receiving plenty of letters. His mother and father sent him love nearly everyday. As James read them, he his stomach sunk. His father was still laid-off from the Auror Office. James knew that they would never go poor, but he wasn't naive to the fact that things were going to be tight.

He also knew that his father prospered at being an Auror. As a boy, James would love to listen to his father's stories about how he took down Death Eaters. It was a risky job, but someone had to do it.

Even with the knowledge that his father was no longer on the front-line, James still found himself having nightmares about his family.

One night, he found himself being shaken out of his dreams.

"James?" Peter squeaked. He was standing next to James's bed, wearing footed-pajamas and a look of concern.

"I'm fine," James said hastily, sitting up. Upon seeing Peter's face, however, James realized that Peter had no idea what he was talking about.

"What's wrong?" James asked, stuffing his glasses on.

"D'you want to come see the fireworks?" Peter asked, his eyes shining.

"The what?"

"The fireworks! Come look!"

"What are you prattling about, Peter?" Sirius snapped from his four-poster. James didn't realize they had been talking so loud.

"What's with all the fuss?" Lupin poked his head out from behind his curtain, "I don't mean to be rude, but we've got an important Charms test tomorrow, and I need to rest for it."

"The fireworks!" Peter insisted, ignoring Sirius and Lupin, "Come over here, look for yourself."

Humoring the plump boy, James followed him to a window. Peter pointed out into the darkness.

"I don't see anything Peter…"

"Wait, just wait. Look over there, by the Forbidden Forest."

Then, out of the darkness, came a large, colorful, explosion. Shortly after that, another one erupted.

"What is that?" Sirius whispered, as he and Lupin came over.

James was staring at the explosions, transfixed. An unsettling feeling washed over him; something was nagging the back of his mind.

"Those aren't fireworks," he said quietly.

Peter looked disappointed, "What are they, then?"

James slipped on his bathrobe, "I have a hunch; let's just hope I'm wrong."

Puzzled, the other three followed him down into the Common Room. There they were met by a sleepy-eyed Lily Evans, who was coming back from the restroom, wearing a silk nightgown and a scowl.

"What are you doing?" she asked, suspiciously.

"Mind your own," Sirius whispered back.

Lily's green eyes blazed dangerously.

James hastily intervened, reddening as he did so, "It's nothing, Lily. We just need to see something. So if you'll just step aside."

Lily remained where she was, "I refuse to move until you four tell me what you are up to."

James sighed, "Something's going on outside; we're going to investigate."

He stepped around Lily and the others followed suit. Lily, however, was persistent. She followed them out into the corridor, hissing, "You'll lose points from Gryffindor! How could you be so reckless? Well, I for one refuse to be a part of it!"

She turned and said smartly, "Bertie Bott!"

"Wrong," the Fat Lady said, "The password has been changed."

Lily paled, "What? What's it been changed to?"

"If I told you that, my job would be quite redundant," the portrait sniffed.

Lily looked frantic, "Please, let me back in! I can't stay out here! I'll get caught."

"Best come with us, then," James grinned.

Lily glowered, "I am not going with you four."

Just then, however, she caught sight of something out of the window. It was another explosion. It lit up her green eyes, as she whispered, "What is that?"

"That's what we're going to find out," James said quietly. Lily hesitated, and then nodded. Together, the five crept through the corridors. It was a stroke of luck that they didn't end up getting caught, for they were neither cautious nor quiet.

They at last slipped outside, running across the dew-covered grass. They finally slowed when they neared the Forbidden Forest.

"James, look," Lupin pointed. The explosions were directly above them. However, that wasn't what Lupin was looking at. Right in front of them, barely visible, was a silvery, translucent, wall.

Sirius slowly raised his hand, ready to touch it. Without looking down from the explosions, James reached out his own arm, grabbing Sirius's before it hit the vapor.

"This must be the edge of the force field," Lupin whispered.

"Force field?" Sirius repeated.

Lupin nodded, "I read about it in _Hogwarts a History. _Hogwarts is protected by tons of spells, enchantments, and anything else you can think of."

"Protection from what?" Lily whispered. James had forgotten for a moment that she was there. He was busy staring up at the explosions, a wave of fury rushing through him. Peter was also staring up at them, his jaw opened slightly. His eyes were large and glistening. He looked hypnotized and amazed. James on the other hand was shaking with fury.

"Are you okay, mate?" Sirius shook James's shoulder.

"James, Peter, snap out of it," Lupin whispered, urgently.

"James?" Lily whispered, a touch of fear in her voice. Slowly, she reached out and took his hand in her own.

James shook his head, then tore his gaze away from the explosions to look at her. Her green eyes were shining with concern.

"I'm okay," James whispered, squeezing her hand.

"I don't think Peter is," Lily said back. James looked over at his pudgy friend. He hesitated and slapped Peter hard, on his face.

Peter rubbed his cheek, "W…what hap…happened?"

Before James could answer, there was a rush of footsteps. His heart sunk as he saw Professor McGonagall running towards them.

"Get away from there at once!"

She was fuming, but James couldn't help but to notice a touch of fear in her eye. Upon reaching them, she started rambling:

"What on earth do you think you're doing? Five students out of bed, let alone outside! Why, I never. I suggest you start explaining before I expel you! As for you, Miss Evans, I expected more from you."

Lily burst into tears, "P…please Professor. I…I was just trying to stop them…"

James opened his mouth to agree, but before he could another blast rang out from above them. Upon seeing it, Professor McGonagall grabbed them, pulling them back. James, however, kept staring upwards. Suddenly, everything sunk in.

He was aware that Professor McGonagall was still lecturing them. He vaguely heard the threats of detentions being given, points being taken, expulsions handed out. Yet, at the moment, he didn't care. The fury was coming back.

"Potter!" Professor McGonagall rang out, "Potter do you hear me?"

All at once, James's fury melted into fear. He turned to Professor McGonagall, and wasn't ashamed that his eyes were glistening with tears.

"What are they?" he whispered, though he already knew.

Professor McGonagall stared at him for a moment, before saying softly, "They're Death Eaters."

"Bloody hell!" Sirius cried, jumping back as though burnt. Lupin looked horrified, Peter burst into tears of fear, Lily looked fearful, though confused.

"That's enough," Professor McGonagall said, gently, "Now, if you'll follow me back to the castle, we shall discuss your punishments."

"I'm afraid that won't be necessary, Professor McGonagall."

Professor Dumbledore was striding towards them, calmly.

"Professor," Professor McGonagall said, strained, "These five were caught out of bed, examining the Death Eater intrusion."

Dumbledore nodded, sighing, "Indeed, I'm afraid their curiosity has gotten the best of them. Yet, you cannot blame them, Minerva. They saw a threat to the school and acted upon it. Reckless though it may be, it is also heroic and courageous; two qualities of your house, I believe. Given the events that led up to their nighttime stroll, I can assume that no punishment is necessary. However, I will stress the fact that they won't do it again."

He stared at James, who was too upset to respond.

The others chorused, "No, Professor."

"Very well," Dumbledore smiled, "Rest assured, there is little to worry about. Now, kindly report back to your dormitories. I'll have the house-elves warm your beds to help you sleep this incident away."

Professor McGonagall took it upon herself to make sure that the others got back to the dormitory. Before James could move, however, Dumbledore stopped him.

"Alas, James, I'm afraid I'll have to deprive your sleep for a bit longer. Will you follow me into my office?"

Humming, he led James into the castle, and into a large, circular, beautifully-decorated office. The first thing James saw was a magnificent, scarlet red, bird, perched in the corner next to a pile of books.

The bird gave James a sympathetic look, opened it's beak, and emitted a soothing song. At once, James felt himself grow warm and happier.

"Thank you Fawkes," Dumbledore said, happily.

James realized that they weren't the only ones in the room. A gruff looking man with a scarred face was staring at him, using a magical eye.

"You're Alastor Moody," James gasped, "My dad talks about you; he says you're one of the greatest Aurors ever."

Moody grunted, "That's actually saying something, coming from him. Where's he been, anyway? He's been abandoning his post."

"He has not!" James cried, indignantly, "The Auror Office won't let him on the front-line."

Moody looked both angry and shocked by this, "And they expect Lord Voldemort to sit on his arse while they fill out the necessary paperwork, do they? Half of those blokes sitting behind the desk haven't even seen a Death Eater, let alone to have the experience that your father and I have."

"Alastor, would you mind waiting outside?" Dumbledore interrupted, quietly.

Moody grunted and limped out.

"Alastor Moody has been kind enough to guard the school for the next few days. All the more reason, I stress that you stay in your dormitories at night. Sit down James," Dumbledore said, kindly. James obeyed.

"I know that must've been quite frightening for you and your friends," Dumbledore continued, "Though, pardon me for saying so, but you seem to be a bit more affected than the others? Would you care to confide as to why that is?"

James thought for a moment before saying, "Well, it's like Moody said, isn't it? Lord Vold…sorry, I mean You-Know-Who…"

Dumbledore interrupted, "Do not be sorry for saying his name, James."

James nodded, "Yes, sir. Voldemort is getting stronger, everyday. As we speak, his Death Eaters are trying to get into Hogwarts."

Dumbledore nodded, "Quite unsuccessfully, I might add. Yes, I have the complete confidence in this school to protect us."

James nodded slowly, "But sir…what if that's not enough?"

Dumbledore looked serious, "Ah, alas, I'm afraid it might not be. The Ministry has had many blinded priorities. As you know perfectly well, they are removing top-skilled Aurors for political reasons. However, I believe that there will soon come a point when the fighters will no longer be Aurors. They will be everyday witches and wizards, fighting to protect their family, friends, and loved-ones."

Dumbledore was surveying him, closely. James stared back, trying to understand.

Dumbledore continued, "You, Mr. Black, Mr. Lupin, and Mr. Pettigrew are, interestingly, some of the brightest students I've seen at Hogwarts. Funny enough, how such different people can come together into one destiny. And I believe that your destiny is about to be revealed soon. And when it does, I believe that Misters Black, Lupin, and Pettigrew will be a part of it."

James let this sink in. Dumbledore winked and stood up, "Now then, off to bed."

James nodded, standing up, sleepily.

Moody was waiting outside. He grabbed James's shoulder, bent down, and hissed,

"Whilst fighting, I find it foolish to run into a battle unarmed. You said that your father is off of the front-line. This means that he has some unused equipment."

And suddenly, James understood.

The other four were still up when James entered the Common Room. They were talking in hushed, excited, whispers.

"James! We got off, completely!" Sirius cheered.

"Yeah," James said distractedly, "That's great, mate."

Lily spoke up from by the fireplace, "So, what are Death Eaters?"

"What every little Slytherin wishes to be when the grow up," Sirius said, bitterly.

Lily looked furious, "Severus is a Slytherin, and he doesn't wish to be a Death Eater."

"Give it time," Sirius yawned.

Lily made a small growling noise and stomped up to her dormitory.

"Could you be anymore insensitive?" Lupin sighed, "She's scared. We all are."

"W…what are we…g…going to do?" Peter stammered.

James spoke up, "We fight."

The next morning, James wrote a classified letter to his father. He knew that his dad would be suspicious when he heard James asking for Auror equipment. However, he stressed the fact that it was on Moody and Dumbledore's orders.

Several days later, an anonymous owl delivered a package. It contained several training manuals, magical ear-pieces, and four bungee harnesses.

That afternoon, James passed Moody in the hallway. Without breaking stride, Moody slipped something into James's pocket. Upon reaching the bathroom, James realized that he was now in possession of a dozen grenades. He and Peter went up onto the roof to try them. They erupted with a force that sent them off the roof and into the Hospital Wing.

At dinner, Sirius went to take a swig of pumpkin juice, only to find that it had changed into a series of different potions. Lupin quickly put them into individual vials.

Lupin, himself, found that he was now in possession of almost every single Defense Against the Dark Arts book that the school library owned.

Their breaks and mealtimes found the four outside, practicing spells and jinxes that would've made seventh-years heads' spin. They would originally use Peter as a target, but soon after, several official targets appeared in their dormitory. Indeed, by the end of the month, their dormitory was almost unrecognizable, cluttered with miscellaneous equipment and gadgets. They had everything from a laboratory to a working tank.

Their training wasn't easy. They often wound up in the Hospital Wing, bearing suspicious injuries. Sirius accidentally sprouted wings, after experimenting with a potion. Peter was equipped with many fine shields, but that didn't stop him from being jinxed. At one point, Lupin disappeared for two days, much to the other three's apprehension.

It was James who decided that they needed a name. And thus, the Marauders were born. The Marauders crept around the school, ensuring that everything was safe. They punished Slytherins who picked on other first-years. They kept a 24-7 surveillance on Severus Snape. They broke up fights between upperclassmen.

James was confident in Dumbledore when he said that Hogwarts was protected. However, James knew that if there ever came a time, the Marauders would be prepared to defend their home.


	8. Chapter Six: Investigating A Rumour

**A/N: I am SO sorry that I haven't uploaded in a while. This is the type of story where you really need to write several chapters at a time, so that you can go back and edit. But, I bring you three new chapters in hope that my followers will enjoy.**

Chapter Six: Investigating A Rumor

Perhaps it was the fact that he was now piling Auror training on top of mountains of homework, but James could hardly believe that he had been at Hogwarts for nearly two months. The school had become his second home, and his friends had become his brothers.

James supposed that he would've enjoyed his term at Hogwarts more, had he not had to deal with Severus Snape. James didn't know exactly how it had happened, but he and Snape seemed to go from a bitter rivalry to pure enemies. For whatever reason, Snape loathed James, and James returned the feeling.

Sirius's hatred for Snape matched James's. Sirius, however, seemed to bring it upon himself, as he would torture Snape at any chance he got.

"Sorry, Professor Flitwick!" Sirius said, hastily, one day, after just setting Snape's textbooks on fire, "Must've said the incantation wrong!"

Even worse than Snape was Sirius's family: Bellatrix Black, Narcissa Black, and her boyfriend, Lucius Malfoy. They were all in Seventh Year Slytherins, and all seemed to detest the fact that Sirius was alive.

"Say James," Sirius said one night, as the two were returning to the Common Room, "Is it just me, or does it seem as though my dear cousins don't want to be noticed?"

Indeed, Bellatrix and Narcissa had their hoods up and were slinking down the corridor with an air of dark mystery.

James put a finger to his lips. With careful stealth and precision, the two crept after the older girls. At one point, Sirius stumbled. James pulled him behind a gargoyle just as Bellatrix and Narcissa turned around. After a tense moment, they started forward again. Finally, Bellatrix and Narcissa ducked into an abandoned classroom.

James and Sirius listened at the door. The voices were faint, but they could hear broken conversation.

"…Lucius searched over by that oaf, Hagrid's…"

"…I'm certain it's in the forest…"

"Bella, maybe we should stop…?"

"Imagine if we found the tomb of Slytherin…"

James grabbed Sirius and the two raced into the classroom across the hall, just as Bellatrix and Narcissa opened the door.

"The tomb of Slytherin?" Sirius hissed, "What's that?"

James didn't know, but he was going to find out.

James and Sirius decided to wait until break the next day to tell the other two what they had heard.

They crossed the courtyard, the colorful leaves crunching beneath their feet. To their surprise, Lupin had news as well.

"I was just about to go looking for you. You two will have to finish your Potions homework on your own. I have to leave."

"And where, may I ask, is so important that you will abandon our homework needs?" Sirius asked, climbing onto a branch of a yew tree.

"It's my mum," Lupin sighed, "She's very ill."

James's face fell, "Oh, I'm sorry. Is she going to be alright?"

Lupin nodded, quickly, "Of course; I just need to visit her."

"You'll miss Halloween," Peter squeaked. He had been unusually jumpy the past few days. The teachers had decorated the castle for Halloween, and Peter was getting terrified at every turn.

James grimaced, "On another note, I don't suppose that you've heard of the story of the tomb of Slytherin?"

Lupin thought for a moment. Then, his amber eyes lit up, "Yes, I have! I remember reading about it in a library book a few weeks ago."

"We have a library?" Sirius asked, puzzled.

Lupin gave him a pained look before looking through his bag. He started pulling out many different books. Finally he found what he was looking for, pulling out a large, dusty, book.

"Blimey," Sirius said, "That thing has to be as old as Hogwarts."

Lupin flipped through the fragile pages until he found what he was looking for.

"_Of all the legends of Hogwarts, one of the most familiar is the legend of the tomb of Salazar Slytherin. Upon Salazar Slytherin's request, upon his death, he was buried somewhere on the castle grounds, along with his most valuable possessions. The tomb has yet to have been found.'_

"His most valuable possessions," Sirius repeated, "No wonder Bellatrix and Narcissa are after it."

James and Sirius quickly explained what had happened the day before.

When they were finished, Lupin's brow was furrowed.

"Has it occurred to you that Bellatrix and Narcissa wanted you to hear what they were up to?"

"Why would they do that?" Sirius questioned.

"It's obvious isn't it?" Lupin sighed, "They're trying to trick you. They want you to go looking for this tomb."

"Or they want to find the tomb themselves," James said, his eyes lighting up.

Sirius looked uncertain, "I dunno, mate. We Blacks are one of the richest families in the world. What would they need with more money?"

James didn't have an answer to that. He reluctantly said good-bye to Lupin and he, Peter, and Sirius returned to the Common Room, where the piles of homework soon distracted them.

Still, all through class, James couldn't stop thinking about the tomb of Slytherin, and the mysteries that lied within.

The Halloween feast was spectacular. Dozens of man-sized jack-o-lanterns lined the Great Hall. The dessert consisted of so many sugary sweets that James felt as though his teeth were going to fall off. Sirius, James, and Peter returned to the Common Room several pounds heavier than when they had left.

Perhaps it was because he had eaten too many sweets, but James had a string of nightmares that night.

He woke up in a cold sweat. Breathing heavily, he crept over to the window, staring out at the full moon. He was just about to return to bed, when something caught his eye. Two figures were slinking across the grounds.

"Sirius, Peter, wake up!" James roared, excitedly. Sirius yelped, falling out of his bed and onto the floor. Peter hit his head on his four-poster, creating a massive goose-egg on his head.

They stumbled over to the window.

"What is it?" Sirius cried, "Is it another Death Eater attack?"

"No, look down there," James pointed, "It's Bellatrix and Narcissa."

Peter squinted, "Are you certain?"

"Of course, can't you see them?" James bubbled, "They're going to search for Slytherin's tomb! I knew it! I say we go after them."

"B…but…" Peter tried to protest.

"Are you a Gryffindor, or not?" James snapped.

Peter pouted but nodded.

"Then shut up and follow me," James whispered.

Once again, they found themselves slipping through the castle and out onto the grounds. This time, however, they didn't stop when they reached the force field. Instead, despite Peter's protests, they marched through and into the dark forest.

They walked further and further. Screeches and howls rang through the trees. A silvery fog lapped at their ankles.

"James," Sirius hissed suddenly, "Do you hear that?"

Indeed, James could hear a high-pitched sing-song cackle. It made his hair stand on end and his spine shiver. Suddenly, the reality of the situation seemed to hit him. Every snap of the thinnest twig hit James's ears. Shadows turned into threatening beasts. Trees started to look identical.

"Don't lose your nerve," he whispered, to himself as well as the others.

He hesitated, realizing that the screeching song was growing louder. It was horrible, yet entrancing at the same time.

James realized that they had begun walking again.

He shook his head, trying to stop, "No, we have to go back."

And yet, they couldn't turn around.

Suddenly, the ground gave out beneath them. Yelling, they fell into a small gorge.

Groaning, James sat up, looking around. Sirius was gritting his teeth, clutching his arm, which was positioned at an odd angle. Peter was unconscious, his head bloody from a jagged rock.

Ignoring the deafening cackle, James crawled over to Peter.

"Peter, wake up. Come on, mate, you need to wake up."

Peter opened his eyes and let out a high-pitched scream.

Little creatures were moving around them. They looked like demonic elves, with long noses, and glowing, yellow, orbs for eyes.

"Erklings," Sirius gasped.

James took out his wand, "_Flipendo_!"

He repeated the spell several times, pointing it at different erklings. Each time, the spell would knock them back, but more would just keep coming.

Sirius took his own wand. Fighting the pain, he swished his arm and cried, "_Alarte Ascendare!" _It shoot an erkling high into the air, but upon landing, the creature was angrier than ever.

They were now climbing on top of them. Sharp teeth tore at James's skin. He yelled out in pain.

From far off, James could hear the sound of a dog barking. Then, he faded into a painful sleep.

With a gasp, James opened his eyes. He was lying in a bed in the Hospital Wing. Madam Pomfrey was applying an ointment onto the small, but deep, bite wounds that were on his body.

"How could you be so foolish?" she was saying, "Wandering into an erkling burrow. You're lucky Hagrid found you, or you would've been eaten."

She continued to lecture them for sometime. Finally, she shooed them away, Sirius sporting a sling on his broken arm, and Peter rubbing the bump on his head. Shamefaced, they decided to go thank Hagrid.

The half-giant was in front of his hut, shucking corn into a large barrel.

"'ello," he said, cheerfully, "Yer all lookin' better. Scar'd me an' Fang half ter death when we foun' yeh.'

He abandoned the corn to make them each a cup of strong tea.

While they pretended to sip, they filled Hagrid in on why they were in the forest to begin with.

"The tom' of Slytherin?" Hagrid scratched his head, "I' been gamekeeper at Hogwar's for a lon' time an' I ain't seen no tom'."

"Just because you haven't seen it, doesn't mean it's not there," James pointed out.

Hagrid looked skeptical, "Yeh ever stop ter think maybe Sirius's cousins wan'ed yeh to hear em?"

"That's what Lupin said," Peter pointed out, before avoiding an oncoming cornstalk that James threw at him.

Hagrid patted James's shoulder with a loud crunch. The three thanked him and left, their spirits low.

James was so distracted he hardly noticed three figures that stepped out from behind the massive pumpkin patch.

"Well, well, well. So you three wretches think that you can find the tomb of Slytherin?"

Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Lucius were all smirking, looking very out of place in the sunlight.

"Shove off," Sirius warned.

James interrupted, "You set us up."

Narcissa laughed softly, "Do you honestly think that a bunch of little children can find a tomb that's been lost for centuries?"

James pulled out his wand, "_Impedimenta_!"

Narcissa reeled backwards, momentarily blind.

Lucius was livid. He whipped out his wand, raising it threateningly.

"Oi!" Hagrid threw open his window, "What'yeh think yer doin'?"

Lucius, Narcissa, and Bellatrix ran away.

"Come on," James said, fiercely. He ran after the three cowards, and the other two followed him.

They came up to a large tree. James had just raised his wand when a large limb shot down and hit him in the stomach.

Horrified, James doubled over in pain.

"Did that tree just attack you?" Sirius cried.

Bellatrix cackled. She climbed on top of one of the branches, performing a spell that made her stick to it. As the branch whisked through the air, Bellatrix shot down several jinxes. James and Sirius dove out of the way, just in time.

"Here," Peter panted. He pulled out three small disks that expanded into large shields, courtesy of the Auror Office.

A fierce duel commenced. It was three-on-three, and even though James, Sirius, and Peter were six years younger than the other three, they were still a match.

Eventually, Sirius hooked up a bungee cable onto a tree branch. He and Bellatrix swung around madly, shooting hexes and jinxes at each other.

Down on the ground, Narcissa had regained her sight. She pulled out her own wand. Peter, taken off guard, spun around. A jet of red light burst into his face. He fell back, unconscious.

"Peter!" James rushed forward to try and move his pudgy friend out of the way. He grabbed Peter's shoulders and heaved, but he was too heavy.

He looked around wildly, but Sirius was too busy dueling Bellatrix.

Then, quite suddenly, Lupin appeared, climbing out of a burrow under the tree.

"James, look out!" he roared.

Before James could respond, he felt something hard and thick hit the side of his face. Then, everything faded into a sickening darkness.

His head was killing him. James groaned, opening his eyes.

Madam Pomfrey's reprimanded face swam into view.

"Ah, good, you're awake," Madam Pomfrey said, crisply, "Now I can tell you, in person, how much of an idiot you are. Playing around the Whomping Willow."

"We weren't playing," James said, hotly. He looked around. Sirius, Lupin, and Peter were standing in the corner.

Madam Pomfrey wasn't impressed, "What you are doing is winding up in the Hospital Wing two times in one day. Mark my words, the Headmaster will hear about this."

"Good," James grumbled, "Tell him to tell Mad-Eye that the Auror Shields don't deflect tree limbs."

Madam Pomfrey pursed her lips.

"You may leave," she said, "And don't come back here again."

The four filed out into the corridor.

"Here," Lupin pulled out a slab of chocolate, "Eat this."

"Are you mental?" James muttered.

"Trust me," Lupin gave him a wry smile.

James took a bite, and felt an unnatural warmth spread from head to toe.

"Lupin, I saw you," James remembered suddenly, "Right before I got hit."

Lupin shook his head, "What are you going on about, mate?"

Rubbing his head, James said, "You came out of a tunnel."

For a second, Lupin looked stunned. Then, he gave a shaky laugh, saying, "I think you must've hit your head a little harder than you thought, James."

James opened his mouth to protest, but Lupin cut in, "Anyway, I think it's best if you just forget about that tomb."

Sirius grinned, "I know one thing that will take your mind off of it: the first Quidditch game of the season is tomorrow!"


	9. Chapter Seven: A Shark and a Snake

Chapter Seven: A Shark and a Snake

The rich, multicolored trees gave James an air of contentment as he and the other three walked down to the Quidditch Pitch the next morning.

Madam Hooch surveyed the four as they entered the stadium, "I expect both feet to be on the ground at all times, Mr. Potter."

"Of course, Madam Hooch," James grinned.

It was no secret that he was the best flyer in Flying Lessons. He performed stunts that would've made professional players' heads spin. Yet, he was only a first year, and was forbidden from the Quidditch Team.

The four marched up into the bleachers. James and Sirius were holding a giant banner with the Gryffindor crest on it. Peter's arms were filled with candy and other snack foods. Lupin was holding a heavy book.

"I'm not very fond of Quidditch," he explained, seeing James and Sirius's horrified looks. Yet that only seemed to make them even more astonished.

"Well, quite frankly, it's hard to understand," Lupin pressed on.

James was aghast, "It's easy to understand! There's seven players: A Seeker, Three Chasers, Two Beaters, and A Keeper. The Seeker captures the snitch. The Chasers chase the Quaffle and try to place it through the goalposts which are blocked by the opposing Keeper."

Lupin looked like he had a headache. Just as James started talking about the 317 different ways to score, the players raced out onto the field.

"Welcome to another year of Quidditch," Professor McGonagall's crisp voice filled the stadium, "This match features Gryffindor against Slytherin. Potter, Black, sit down at once!"

Sirius and James had starting booing, and were using slingshots to launch things at the Slytherin's end. Grinning, they sat back down.

"Right then. Black narrowly avoids a Bludger…"

"Black?" James questioned.

Sirius pointed to the Slytherin Seeker, "My cousin, Andromeda."

"You have another cousin?" Peter groaned.

Sirius grimaced, "Eh, she's alright. She doesn't resent my existence, like the other three. She's actually one of the only good ones left in the Black family."

"She's a good flier," Lupin noted.

"Too good," James growled, "Come on, Tonks!" he yelled, at the Gryffindor Seeker: Ted Tonks.

"Gryffindor takes possession of the Quaffle. Slytherin steals it."

"Dirty rotten thieves!" Sirius roared.

James laughed, but his joyfulness didn't last long.

With a horrible crunch, a bludger went barreling into Tonks. The Seeker fell of his broom, falling rapidly.

Sirius yelled out, Lupin dropped his book, and Peter covered his eyes.

James, however, jumped up, whipped out his wand, and roared, "_Spongify_!"

The ground where he was pointing at softened. For this reason, when Tonks hit it, he bounced several feet into the air, before landing, unharmed.

Madam Hooch was besides herself.

"Foul!" she shrieked, flying over to James.

"Foul?" Sirius roared back, "He's not even on the team!"

"The use of a wand is strictly forbidden in a Quidditch match!"

"Come off it, miss," James roared back, "I was saving the bloke's life."

Madam Hooch seemed to consider this for a moment. Finally, she said, "You're lucky I'm letting you off: the game is not disqualified. However, you four will need to leave, immediately."

"You're mad," James cried. When Madam Hooch's eyes narrowed, James put up his hands, "Fine, we'll leave. Far be it from us to save a guy's life."

The four stomped away. Before they could leave the stadium, however, James's eyes lit up. He whispered something to Sirius, who grinned.

"What're you up to?" Lupin whispered.

"Let's just stay here, and hide in the trench. We'll need binoculars, but we'll still be able to follow the game."

"No!" Lupin hissed, "Madam Hooch said…"

"She won't see us," James assured him.

"You've been in enough trouble this week," Lupin warned, "Let's just go."

"You go," James insisted, "I'm staying here to watch the end of the match."

"As am I," Sirius grinned, "Besides, Lupin, what'll you say when somebody else falls and we aren't there to save them?"

"You'll have to go to their funeral and make a speech," James tried to hide a smile, "Stand up on the podium and say how it's your fault that 'Mommy's little boy' is dead. If only you had let James and Sirius stay at the match. They could've used their clever wit to save the poor boy."

"I get it," Lupin snapped.

James and Sirius both gave him pleading looks.

"Oh very well. After all, you'll just end up ignoring me, anyway," Lupin sighed, "Peter and I can go to the library and finish our Potion's essays."

"Brilliant, you can finish ours too!" Sirius said, happily.

"I most certainly will not!"

Sirius sighed, "Fine. If you can live with the idea of ruining my educational career. You'll have to stand at my graduation and say that…"

He yelped in pain as Lupin punched him, "Testy, much?"

Lupin rolled his eyes and he and Peter left. James and Sirius slipped down into the trench between the stands and the field. Carefully balancing on one of the beams, James took out his binoculars. They were magically equipped, courtesy of the Auror Office, and could focus onto anything up to a mile away.

James handed a second pair to Sirius. The two watched the game, clamping their hands over their mouths to keep from shouting out. The match was getting ugly, fast.

"James, look at the Quaffle!" Sirius cried, sharply.

James zoomed in. One of the Gryffindor Chasers had gotten hold of the red ball. She zoomed towards the goalpost and threw it. It suddenly swerved, dropping back down into the hands of a Slytherin Chaser.

"I think that the Quaffle's been tampered with."

No sooner had he said that, then there was a chorus of gasps and boos.

James grabbed his binoculars and zoomed in. Another Bludger had wiped out the front of the Gryffindor Keeper's broom.

"That Bludger was on the other side of the pitch; there weren't any Beaters near it," James said, "Someone's hexing the balls."

He scanned the pitch. Finally, he zoomed towards the trench opposite them. A figure was crouching on one of the beams. The person was using their wand to control the balls. James focused rapidly.

"Snape!" he roared.

Several things happened at once. Upon hearing James's outburst, Snape smirked and slashed his arm. The movement caused a Bludger above to zoom towards the stands. It barreled into the beam, missing them by centimeters.

The two yelled out, jumping onto nearby beams to keep from falling. By then, the entire pitch had seen them. Madam Hooch was flying towards them, angrily.

Snape sent the Bludger at them again. It hit Sirius's beam. He fell forward, onto the field, landing on his bad arm. Gasping with pain, he didn't see the Bludger rise high into the air, ready to come at him again.

There was a streak of green as Andromeda rushed in between Sirius and the Bludger, taking the blow. A horrible crunch filled the stadium. Unconscious, she fell off of her broom, sending it spiraling to the ground. Ted Tonks zoomed forward and caught her.

"Andromeda!" Sirius roared, horrified. His shout was drowned out by a loud screeching noise. With half of it's support beams broken, the viewing tower above them was beginning to collapse. Students screamed, holding on for dear life. James grabbed Sirius, pulling him out of the way just as the tower came tumbling down.

In the midst of the confusion, Snape had managed to grab a spare broom. As the dust cleared, James saw him zoom away. Before Madam Hooch could say anything, he had grabbed Andromeda's room, jumped onto it, and raced after Snape.

Snape left the stadium and barreled towards the forest. The two weaved in and out of the trees. Every time James would come close to catching him, he would have to swerve to avoid a branch. Snape seemed to be having the same problem. He finally followed a river out into the Black Lake. He was fast, but James was an expert flyer. He quickly apprehended Snape, knocking him off of his broom and into the water.

Grinning, triumphantly, James flew gallantly back towards the pitch, where he was met with a chorus of applause. Upon landing, he found himself being hugged by the entire Gryffindor Quidditch Team. Due to Andromeda's injury, the Slytherin's had no choice but to forfeit. She was taken up to the Hospital Wing, along with Sirius, who's arm was looking atrocious.

Snape was fished out of the lake, and given a month's worth of detention and a shouting-to from Professor McGonagall and Madam Hooch.

James was so excited, that upon leaving the pitch, he crashed into Professor Slughorn.

"Sorry Professor," he gasped, gathering Slughorn's fallen supplies. He noticed a sketch on a piece of parchment and read the caption.

" 'A handcrafted rapier, crafted by Salazar Slytherin,' " he read, " 'Estimated to be at least 1,000 galleons.' "

Professor Slughorn took the paper hastily, "Ah, that's nothing. Just a bit of research. It's not as though I was planning on selling such an item if I found it."

"I didn't know that Slytherin crafted deadly weapons," James grimaced, "Makes sense though."

He flushed, remembering that Slughorn was Head of Slytherin house.

Slughorn frowned at the comment, but said, "Yes, he was said to have made some of the finest weapons in the world. Of course, they all disappeared after his death. 'Shame; they were said to be priceless."

James dropped the items he was holding and dashed off towards the castle.

He didn't stop until he had reached his destination: the library. He threw open the double doors, receiving a very irritated glance from Madam Pince, the librarian.

Ignoring the look, James rushed over to a table, where Lupin was hidden behind a large stack of books.

"Hullo," Lupin said, surprised, "How was the game?"

"Never mind that," James gasped, clutching a stitch in his side. With a swipe of his arm, he knocked Lupin's stack of books onto the floor.

"Bloody hell, mate," Lupin jumped up, outraged, "What's gotten into you?"

"Weapons," James panted.

"What are you talking about?" Lupin cried.

James didn't answer. Instead, he crossed to a bookshelf and started grabbing books heatedly. Pages ripped and wrinkled.

"James, get a grip!" Lupin exclaimed.

"Where's the biography section?" James barked, ignoring him.

"The fourth balcony," Lupin pointed, but then whitened. Madam Pince was behind them, swelling like an angry vulture, ready to attack. She was so angry, that her voice came out as a deadly whisper.

"Out. Get out. All of you."

"But Madam Pince…" Lupin started, frantically.

"OUT!"

They ran for it, not bothering to stop until they reached the Common Room.

Lupin exploded, "I hope you're happy mate; we're banned from the library until further notice! How am I supposed to do my schoolwork, now?"

"I think I just found out some valuable information on the tomb of Slytherin," James said, hastily.

Lupin looked horrified, "The tomb of Slytherin? You're still going on about that? I would've thought that you'd have put your friends before a myth."

He turned around and stomped up the dormitory stairs, slamming the door.

The pride of winning the game had left. Instead, James was filled with worry and regret. Lupin didn't talk to him for the rest of the night.

James lay awake in his four-poster. He could not stop thinking about the books in the library that could answer his fears.

Making up his mind, he jumped up and crept over towards the dormitory door.

There was a swishing noise as Lupin drew back his curtains. For a moment, hazel eyes met golden. Lupin gave James a look that was filled with pity, anger, and worry. He didn't say anything, however, and closed his curtains once more.

Grimacing, James crept downstairs. He carefully snuck down to the library. He pushed open the door and immediately felt the hairs on the back of his neck stand up. He wasn't sure, but he felt as though the books were watching him. It was only now that James realized exactly how large the library was.

When he heard a hiss behind him, James nearly screamed. He whipped around to find that he was staring at Mrs. Norris.

She meowed and then ran away.

Calming his nerves, James crept to the balcony that Lupin had pointed to. He snuck up the spiral staircase, and began taking out books. Finally he found what he was looking for: a book with the portrait of Salazar Slytherin on it. James grinned, excitedly. He had just opened it, when a voice spoke from behind him.

"Well, well, well. Caught out of bed, eh?"

Horrified, James turned around to find Mr. Filch standing behind him. He was smirking, which wasn't a good sign, "I'll have you expelled, boy. Mark my words."

James panicked. Filch was blocking the staircase; there was no where to run.

Unless…

James spun around and leapt over the balcony railing. He landed on the top of the bookshelf. He jumped onto another, knocking the first one over. He repeated this again and again until he had reached the opposite balcony, leaving the library in chaos.

He opened the door to an antechamber and raced out into the corridor. He could hear Mr. Filch's footsteps jogging behind him.

Upon turning the corner, he heard someone cry, "James, duck!"

James dropped to the ground as a puff of purple powder engulfed Filch. Immediately, he slumped to the ground in a deep sleep.

A hand extended out to help James up. It belonged to Lupin, who was looking horrified at what he had just done.

The two didn't speak until they had reached the Common Room.

"What was that?" James asked, amazed.

"Drowsy Dust," Lupin said, "Alastor Moody gave it to me that day he was patrolling the castle."

"Why'd you come?" James asked, touched.

Lupin looked furious with himself, "Peter wanted to come too; he sniffed the powder and immediately fell unconscious."

"But why…?"

"Well, I couldn't very well let you get expelled, could I?" Lupin said.

James didn't know what to say, but Lupin understood.

"Anyway, I hope you have a good reason for acting like a loon," Lupin said.

"I needed information on Salazar Slytherin," James pressed, "Slughorn said that his weapons are priceless."

"So?" Lupin yawned, sitting down by the fireplace.

James sighed, "So, they're exactly the type of valuable possessions that might've been buried with him when he died."

Lupin looked up, "You don't think…?"

James grimaced, "I think we might've just found out why Bellatrix is trying to break into the tomb of Slytherin."


	10. Chapter Eight: Christmas in Hogsmede

Chapter Eight: Christmas In Hogsmede

The holidays were fast approaching.

James found himself having much less fun than he would've liked. He was now thinking about the tomb at every wake. He found himself following Bellatrix, Lucius, and Narcissa whenever he could.

James told Sirius about the tomb as soon as the latter was out of the hospital wing. He seemed anxious, but not nearly as anxious as James.

"Lighten up, mate," Peter squeaked, one day.

James ignored him. He, Sirius, Lupin, and Peter were coming back from Potions class. James was keeping his eye out for particular Slytherins.

He found what he was looking for: Lucius and Narcissa were speaking in hushed tones, walking past them.

James quickly and casually followed them.

"Do you want to get yourself killed?" Sirius hissed, as the others jogged after him.

James didn't answer. Lucius and Narcissa had reached a slab of wall. One of them muttered something and the wall opened. They slipped inside. Just as James was about to go after them, the wall sealed itself.

James pounded on it, "It won't budge."

"Of course not; I expect it requires a password," Lupin said, logically.

When James looked blank, Lupin said, "Well, obviously it's the entrance to the Slytherin Common Room."

"Obviously," James said, sarcastically, rolling his eyes. He turned around, and began feeling the wall, as if hoping to find a loose stone.

"What are you four up to?" a crisp voice rang behind them.

They spun around, chorusing, "Nothing!"

Professor McGonagall peered down at them, suspiciously.

"What are you doing down here?"

James hesitated, before saying cheekily, "What're _you_ doing down here?"

Professor McGonagall huffed, "Looking for Mr. Black. You have received a letter from your parents. Naturally, due to your last incident, the school conducted a number of measures before determining that it was safe to open."

She handed Sirius an open envelope, cautiously, as though expecting it to explode at any moment.

Sirius pulled out a piece of parchment and read,

'_Tomorrow, you are expected to arrive at 12 Grimmauld Place . You shall stay for the remainder of the holidays._

_Orion and Walaburga Black'_

"That's it?" Sirius asked, looking crestfallen, "They didn't write anything else?"

Professor McGonagall shook her head, frowning, "The Hogwarts Express will leave at 11:00 tomorrow."

"Forget it," Sirius snapped, "I'm not going. They can't make me."

"Unfortunately, if they wish for you to come home, we have no say," Professor McGonagall corrected, "They are, after all, your parents."

Sirius showed her the letter, "Does that look like good parenting to you?"

"I'm sorry, Mr. Black," Professor McGonagall said, professionally, "There is nothing to be done. I suggest you enjoy the rest of tonight and make the most of tomorrow and the week to come."

She left Sirius, who looked furious and miserable.

"Make the most of it?" Sirius groaned, "Mark my words, these will be the last holidays I ever see."

Sirius left the next morning, glumly. James, Lupin, and Peter saw him off, before returning to the Common Room, sitting around by the fire.

They found three pairs of tongs, and proceeded to find any food that they could think of, roasting their snacks in the fire.

"Shall we get started on our homework?" Lupin asked, chewing on a roasted Bertie Bott's bean.

He rummaged through his bag, pulling out a heap of papers.

James took the papers with his tongs, tossing the papers into the fire.

"James!" Lupin cried, angrily, trying to blow the flames out.

"Relax, Lupin," James grinned, "It's the holidays."

Even Lupin had to smile back, "Fine."

"Look outside!" Peter piped, suddenly.

Indeed, the first snowfall of the year was occurring. Within an hour, the grounds were blanketed with a beautiful layer of white, sparkling, snow.

"It looks so peaceful," Lupin mused, staring out the window.

"It looks so…unaffected," James said, thoughtfully, "We should change that."

The three bundled up, racing outside. A fierce snowball fight commenced.

The day got better when James saw Snape walk by. The Slytherin was immediately bombarded by dozens of snowballs.

"James Potter!" Professor McGonagall shrieked, "My office! This instant!"

James followed her, deciding that it was worth it.

Professor McGonagall reached her office and started nagging about the importance of not trying to kill other students with snowballs.

James hung his head, though only to try and hold back a smile.

All of a sudden, the fireplace came to life. Giant green flames leapt up into the grate. Professor McGonagall stopped talking, rising from her seat, in awe.

A figure came through the flames. Professor McGonagall stepped in front of James, rising her wand, as the person became visible.

For a second nobody spoke.

Then, James ducked out from behind Professor McGonagall, crossed the threshold, and hugged his best mate, "Sirius!"

He waited for Sirius to catch his breath, before roaring, "What're you doing here?"

"My mum locked me in my room," Sirius panted, "What she didn't know was that I had nicked…err, borrowed…some Floo Powder from the Common Room before I left. I used it in my fireplace. This was the first place that I could think of."

Professor McGonagall recomposed herself, before saying, kindly, "Welcome back, Mr. Black. What took you so long?"

Sirius grinned back, realizing that Professor McGonagall must've had planned the whole thing.

The professor continued, "Now, will you two kindly leave, before you get soot all over my clean floor?"

"But Professor," James pointed out, "What about my detention?"

"Well, I can certainly punish you, if you want, Mr. Potter," Professor McGonagall said, with a small smile, "However, I would think that you'd want to enjoy the remainder of your holidays."

Swelling with luck, James and Sirius ran out of the office, grinning. They met the other two in the corridor.

"Sirius!" Lupin cried, astonished, "What're you doing here?"

"Long story," Sirius beamed.

"We'll tell you later," James smirked, "Right now, we have a certain little git who still needs to be snowballed."

"Oi, wake up!" Sirius hit James round the head with his pillow, causing him to spring up, grabbing his wand in self-defense.

"At ease there, mate," Sirius grinned, "It's Christmas!"

Grinning back, James stuffed his glasses onto his face so that he could see the vast amount of presents that sat at the foot of his bed.

Sirius rudely awakened Lupin and Peter, who had a considerably smaller pile than James. Peter looked disappointed, but Lupin looked purely grateful.

Sirius began ripping off the paper of his first parcel.

"Hang on," he said, "James, I think this one is for you."

"No," James pointed, reddening, "It's from my mum; she must've sent you all a gift as well."

"Blimey," Sirius whispered, pulling out a handsome, hand-knit, Gryffindor scarf with his initials sewn on in beautiful craftsmanship.

"Thanks mate," Lupin gasped, as he and Peter opened similar scarves.

Lupin then opened a large bar of chocolate, which he shared with the others. James saw Peter open a large box of Bertie Bott's Every Flavored Beans, and try to discreetly hide them under his bed.

James then noticed a lumpy parcel. Curious, he opened it.

A letter fell out:

_**Hello James,**_

_**I hope you're having a good term at Hogwarts. Your mother implores that you're staying out of trouble. I, however, realize that you are my son. In such, I feel that it is time that I gave you this. It was given to me by my father, and has been in our family for generations. I know that it will come in handy with your shenanigans as well as your Auror Training. **_

_**Yes, I am aware of what's been going on. You'd be surprised how much Dumbledore knows as well, and how much he relays back to me. Your mother, naturally, worries about your safety. I have assured her that it is better to be prepared, so that you are safe in the future. **_

_**Hope your holidays are well, son. Give your friends my best. Also, do tell Sirius to mind the grenades that I sent several weeks ago; they do not mix well with long hair. **_

_**Your Loving Father**_

James laughed and passed Sirius the note. He then examined the package. A silvery cloak with intricate designs fell out.

He picked it up, curious, and threw it around your shoulders.

Sirius chuckled, "Could've mentioned that before I singed half of it off!"

He grinned, before looking up and yelping.

"Bloody hell! What happened to your body?"

"What do you mean?" James gasped.

Lupin gaped, standing up, "It's gone, mate! Take that cloak off, now!"

"No, don't!" Sirius said, excitedly, "I think that's an Invisibility Cloak!"

"How can we be sure?" Lupin asked, curiously.

Sirius absentmindedly took a picture frame, that Lupin had received, and chucked it at James. It hit him hard in the stomach.

"Told you," Sirius roared, triumphantly, "That's brilliant, mate! Think of all the pranks we'll get to pull, now!"

"As compared to…?" Lupin asked, grinning.

"Good point," Sirius said, "Only now, we won't get caught!"

Laughing, the four went outside, in their pajamas and built a colossal snowman. Lupin's guilt finally got the best of him, and he declared that he had to go to Professor McGonagall, and get the homework that James had burnt the other day.

Sirius, Peter, and James performed a nifty spell that made the snowman come to life, before reentering the castle, shivering.

"Ugh! I'm so cold that my coat zipper's stuck," Peter mumbled. He was the most bundled up.

"_Dissendium_!" Peter muttered, furiously, brandishing his wand like a sword.

"It's _Descendo_, Peter," James said, impatiently.

He, Sirius, and Peter were on their way back from the library. Peter was trying to perfect a spell that James and Sirius had learned on their first attempt.

Peter flushed, "Well, my spell did something! Look!"

He pointed to a statue of a one-eyed witch. The statue trembled as the hump on the witch gave away.

"Great, you broke it," James grimaced. He and Sirius stepped forward to examine the damage, but stumbled and fell down a steep slide, landing in an underground tunnel. Before they could exit, the hump had closed, trapping them.

They could hear Peter screaming bloody murder on the other side of the wall.

"Peter, quiet down!" Sirius roared, "We're fine!"

Peter was still screaming; he couldn't hear them.

Sirius, meanwhile, had grabbed a torch off of the wall and was examining the tunnel, "Where do you suppose this goes?"

"Let's find out," James said, his eyes sparkling with adventure.

The two walked down the dusty tunnel for what seemed like ages. James was just suggesting that they turn around, when he hit his head on what appeared to be a trapdoor.

He pushed it open and they came out into what appeared to be a cellar.

"Where the bloody hell are we?" Sirius grumbled.

James had no idea. They climbed the steps into the main building, Immediately, their jaws dropped.

They were in a fantastic sweetshop. The walls were completely lined with colorful candies and other goodies.

"Where the bloody hell are we?" Sirius repeated, but in a much different tone.

A sign hanging above them said: Honeydukes Shop.

"I think that we're in Hogsmeade," James said, slowly, "The village, outside of the school."

Sirius didn't answer. He was too busy staring at the vast amount of candy, his mouth watering slightly.

"Hey Sirius, how much gold do you have on you?" James asked.

Sirius just grinned.

In the end, they ended up nearly buying out the entire shop. The shopkeeper stared at them, suspiciously. Students weren't allowed into the village, unless they had permission. However, upon seeing the large pile of Galleons that the boys produced, the shopkeeper bowed them out of the shop.

They left, each carrying half a dozen bags filled with every type of candy that the store had to offer.

The village was beautiful. It looked as though they had entered a Christmas card. The cottages were buried in snow, which glistened in the sunlight.

Parched, they decided to go over to a pub, known as The Three Broomsticks. It was warm and crowded; no one gave the pair a second glance.

"I've always wanted to try Butterbeer," Sirius exclaimed, excitedly.

It was brought to them in foaming mugs by an attractive barmaid, known as Madam Rosmerta.

Sirius boldly gave her a wink. He and James raised their tankards and chugged.

It was one of the best things James had ever tasted. A warmth, unlike no other, ran through his body.

Grinning, they had a second round, then bought an entire round for the pub. This deemed them the most popular duo in Hogsmeade.

After half an hour, they finally stumbled from the bar, feeling light and giddy. They passed a group of carolers and decided to join in. Unfortunately, as neither one of them knew the lyrics, they decided to improvise.

'_God Rest Ye, Merry Hippogriffs_

_Let Nothing You Dismay_

_Remember How We Found Hogsmeade_

_On This Christmas Day_

_We Drank A Bunch Of Butterbeer_

_And Now We Want To Say,_

'_Oh Good Tidings of Comfort and Goats_

_Silly Billy Goats_

_Oh Good Tidings of Comfort and Goats.' '_

In the end, it was the best Christmas James had ever had. As dusk approached, they made their way drunkenly back into Honeydukes, where the shopkeepers were busy explaining to customers why there was no more candy left. Laughing, the two slipped into the tunnel, talking nonstop, until before they knew it, they had reached the castle once more. They burst into the Common Room, grinning from ear to ear.

"Where have you been?" Lupin asked, rising from the couch.

"It's a long story!" James beamed.

Peter's eyes widened, as he took in the bags of multicolored goodies, "Where did you get those?"

"Is that Honeydukes chocolate?" Lupin asked, his mouth watering.

"Yep," Sirius exclaimed, grinning.

He and James broke into their story of how they managed to find the tunnel. They recounted the village and shared the sweets and Butterbeer.

The four sat by the fire and raised their bottles to the best Christmas ever.

James grinned, singing a little to himself.

'_Oh good tidings of comfort and goats._

_Silly Billy goats._

_Oh good tidings of comfort and goats.'_


	11. Chapter Nine: Valentine's Day Massacre

A/N: So I hopped onto my computer this morning and decided to simply start typing. Six hours later, I bring you four new chapters. The end is nearing…

Chapter Nine: Valentine's Day Massacre

The Marauders now spent most of their free-time in Hogsmeade. They strolled the streets, without anyone standing in their way.

James and Sirius laughed at their ingeniousness, as they crawled through the statue, their arms filled with joke products.

"What the…?"

With a crash, James and Sirius's hearts fell into the pit of their stomachs. Ted Tonks had been walking by the statue, and had seen them crawling out.

"Where on earth did you come from?" Ted asked, flabbergasted..

"That's classified," Sirius replied, calmly.

"But, what are you doing here?" Ted cried.

"What are _you_ doing here?" James asked, unable to keep a straight face.

"I asked you first," Ted said, crossing his arms.

"I asked you second," James grinned.

Ted peered at him suspiciously, before smiling, "Hang on! I know you. You're the bloke who saved my life at that Quidditch match."

James puffed out his chest, "Yeah, well, all in a day's work."

"Well, at least you caught the prat who was doing it," Ted grimaced, "I would've gotten him myself if I hadn't been so worried about Andromeda."

He stopped, flushing.

He then smirked, "You're the lot who's been sneaking around, causing us Prefects a hell of a time!"

"At your service," Sirius bowed, "You mentioned my cousin. How is she?"

"You're her cousin?" Ted repeated, "You're a Gryffindor?"

"Well spotted," Sirius said, "How is she?"

"She's fine," Ted sighed, "Back to her old self."

His tone fell at this.

"Is that a good thing?" Sirius asked slowly.

Ted hesitated, debating whether or not he wanted to say anything, "Well, she and I have been kind of dating."

To his relief, the two took the news with excitement, "Nice one, mate."

Ted smiled weakly, "Thanks. Well, anyway, we were dating. Then your other cousins, Narcissa and Bellatrix, found out."

Sirius groaned, "Ah no, that can't be good."

Ted shrugged, "Well, I'm a Muggle-born. Naturally, as soon as they found out, they whisked Andromeda away. Anyway, it's probably for the best."

"It most certainly is not for the best," Sirius said, angrily, "Don't worry, Ted, I'll talk to my cousin."

Sirius did much more than talking. Several nights later, he and James snuck under the invisibility cloak to the Slytherin Common Room. There, they waited, until Andromeda came back from Prefect Duties.

She screamed, upon seeing the two sitting on the couch, nonchalantly.

"Sirius, what are you doing here?" she finally hissed, "You're not a Slytherin."

"You're right, I'm not," Sirius said, coolly, "I actually have a heart."

"Get out of here!" Andromeda whispered, "If you get caught, I won't be able to protect you!"

"I can protect myself," Sirius snapped, "You see, I'm not afraid of my cousins."

Andromeda's eyes darkened, "You think that I am?"

"What I think," Sirius said quietly, "Is that you would rather follow our family's footsteps. You would rather pretend to believe in something so horrendous, instead of standing up for yourself in order to live your life."

"What are you talking about?" Andromeda asked.

"We ran into Ted Tonks," Sirius said, folding his arms, "Nice guy. He happened to mention that you two were dating."

"Keep your voice down!" Andromeda hissed.

"No!" Sirius stomped his foot, "You don't believe in that pureblood mania! I know you better than that, Andi! This is your chance to break free of our family. Don't give into them, just because you're afraid."

"I can't date him!" Andromeda sighed.

"Then admit the reason!" Sirius cried, "Admit that you're afraid!"

"I'm not…"

"Admit it!" Sirius roared.

"Fine!" Andromeda shrieked, "I can't date Ted, because I'm afraid of my sisters!"

"That's why you weren't put in Gryffindor," Sirius said, harshly, "You're a coward."

James spoke up, "My dad once said that bravery is not the same as fearlessness. A brave person admits his fears, and then seeks to conquer them."

"There you go!" Sirius said, smiling, "You still have a chance to redeem yourself. Otherwise, you're life is going to be nothing more than one big regret."

Andromeda didn't know what to say. A light flickered overhead. Sirius gave her one, last, pitying look before throwing the cloak over himself and James, disappearing.

James woke up on Valentine's Day, determined.

He glanced around. The others were still in their beds; their curtains drawn. James quietly got up and slipped into his robes.

He then snuck to his bedside table and took out the pink, frilly, card. James grinned at it. He had gotten it in Hogsmede several days ago, after much debating.

There was a commotion behind him, and before James knew it, someone had whisked the card out of his hand.

"What's this?" Sirius asked, smirking.

"Give it back to him mate," Lupin scolded, trying to hide a grin.

"'To Lily, With Love: James,'" Sirius read.

"Sod off!" James growled, reddening.

"That's so sweet," Peter squeaked, reading the card.

"Lily Evans?" Lupin asked, amused.

"I knew it!" Sirius roared, triumphantly. He turned to Lupin and Peter, "Pay up!"

"We all knew it," Lupin corrected.

"Yeah, but you two had the audacity to bet me," Sirius grinned.

"Give it here!" James cried, wrestling Sirius to the ground and snatching the card.

"Are you going to give it to her?" Lupin asked.

"Well I was, until you guys intervened!"

"Don't let us stop you," Sirius smiled, "Go on, then!"

James took a deep breath, then marched down to the Common Room. He took another breath, opened the door to the Girl's Dormitory, and started up the stairs.

There was a loud, wailing, noise and the stairs suddenly fell out from beneath him. With a yell, James found himself falling backwards, sliding on a magnificent slide back down to the Common Room.

There was a loud commotion and people flooded into the Common Room to see what happened. Sirius. The other Marauders gaped at James in a mixture of shock and humor.

"What happened?" Sirius asked, trying not to laugh.

"The stairs turned into a bloody slide!" James groaned, rubbing his neck.

"POTTER!"

Lily had descended down the slide, looking enraged.

"Alright then, Evans?" James grinned.

"What are you doing down there?" Lily shrieked.

"Evidently, making a fool of myself," James muttered, before brightening, "So Evans, do you have a Valentine?"

Lily's cheeks reddened, "Of course not. Valentine's Day is nothing more than an excuse for corporations to sell excess candy and flowers."

She then broke off, when James looked crushed. She gave him an odd look as she said, "Why? Were you…were you going to give me a Valentine?"

"Of course not," James snorted, "Like I'd give _you_ a Valentine."

Peter gasped, Sirius snorted, and Lupin whispered, "James, no!"

Lily seemed to swell with anger.

Sirius grabbed James's shoulder and the four ran for it. They finally burst out onto the snowy grounds, collapsing in a heap of laughter.

"Best Valentine's Day, ever!" Sirius roared.

"James, you bloody idiot!" Lupin chortled, "Why did you tell her that?"

"What was I supposed to say?" James snapped, "Everyone was staring."

He sighed, falling backwards. He barely even noticed Sirius throwing multiple snowballs at him.

"What's wrong with him?" Peter asked, concerned.

"He's in love," Lupin said, with a small smile, "He'll be distracted for days. I doubt he'll even mention that bloody tomb."

"Hey Sirius," James said, suddenly, "Isn't that your cousin?"

Sirius chuckled, "Well, that lasted all of two minutes."

James glared at him, "Your other cousin: Andromeda."

He pointed to the slope by the lake. Andromeda had her cloak pulled up and was shuffling through the snow.

Sirius groaned, "Ah no."

He motioned for the others to follow. They slid down the slope, silently, getting wet and soaked.

They saw Andromeda disappear into a thicket of trees. They snuck after her, and were shocked to see that Andromeda wasn't alone.

She was with Ted Tonks. They were sitting on a stump, smiling and laughing.

Before James could stop, Sirius let out a cheer.

The two looked up, before seeing who it was.

"Say it!" Sirius roared.

"You were right," Andromeda sighed.

"To right, I was," Sirius grinned, "Good for you, Andi!"

Andromeda gave him an appreciative smile, but it instantly faded.

"Oh no," she whispered.

James and Sirius turned to find that another group was heading towards them. Bellatrix was in the lead, followed by Lucius and Narcissa.

James, Sirius, Lupin, and Peter all took out their wands, crouching down into a fighting position.

"Andromeda, what are you doing with that piece of filth?" Bellatrix hissed.

"That 'piece of filth' is my boyfriend," Andromeda drew herself up.

Bellatrix looked as though she had been slapped.

It was Narcissa who finally hissed, "He's just a Mudblood."

"Who are you to judge someone?" Andromeda snapped, "You three are nothing more than bullying leeches!"

Bellatrix strode forward, her wand raised.

"Ted, get out of here," Sirius said, monotonically.

Ted, however, refused to move.

"Fine!" Sirius snapped, "Just do us a favor, okay? Don't expel us."

"Why would I…?"

With a blast, the Marauders unleashed a series of spells, knocking the three enemies backwards. The light from the spells illuminated their faces.

"Blimey," Ted whispered.

The Slytherins, excluding Andromeda, stumbled away.

James and Sirius gave each other high-fives, before immediately groaning.

Professor McGonagall was marching towards them, tight-lipped, "Well, I never…I have had it with you four! As for you, Mister Tonks and Miss Black. Well, I simply expected better from Prefects! You're lucky you aren't dismissed from your duties! As for you four, you will report to Professor Dumbledore's office immediately."

Chins held high, the Marauders stomped back inside.

Professor Dumbledore was waiting for them, in his office.

"What seems to be the problem?" he asked, calmly.

"The problem is that you opened the doors to your school to maniacal, cold-hearted, Pure-blood loving, scum!" Sirius burst out.

"Sirius," James said, calming his friend, before exploding himself, "Professor, you have to do something about them!"

"What do you propose?" Dumbledore asked.

"Expel them," Sirius suggested.

"You would expel your own family?" Dumbledore looked mildly surprised.

Sirius looked outraged. Finally, he hissed, "They are not my family. Do you think that I want to be related to someone who treats my friends so cruelly? Do you think that I want to have my last name? That I want to remember Toujours Pur? If I had wanted all of that, I would've chosen to be in Slytherin, instead asking that blasted hat to put me in Gryffindor."

There was a tense silence.

"You asked the Sorting Hat to put you in Gryffindor?" James repeated, stunned.

"It originally wanted to put me in Slytherin," Sirius spat, distractedly.

James didn't know what to say.

Finally, Dumbledore spoke, "I understand your fury, Sirius. Yet, unless you can provide proof that your cousins are doing anything illegal…"

"They're trying to break into the tomb of Slytherin," James suddenly said.

Besides him, Lupin gave a small groan, "James, no! Don't go bothering Professor Dumbledore with all that!"

Dumbledore, however, looked intrigued, "The tomb of Slytherin?"

"It's filled with all sorts of valuables and weapons," James explained, "We think that they're out to get them."

"Do you have any proof?" Dumbledore asked.

"They were talking about it," Sirius spoke up.

"Did anyone else hear this conversation?"

James didn't believe what he was hearing, "You don't believe us."

"I do," Dumbledore said, calmly.

Yet, his sparkling blue eyes flickered away.

James stared at him, clearly upset, "No you don't! You think that we're just a bunch of raving children."

He looked around wildly, and was slightly relieved to see that the other Marauders looked upset at Dumbledore's lack of support as well.

Dumbledore opened his mouth, but James turned away, finding that his eyes were becoming very painful.

James then swallowed, before saying, "If you won't protect Hogwarts, we'll protect it ourselves."

Sirius crossed his arms, "Are you going to punish us for standing up for Andromeda and Ted, or are you going to allow us to stomp out of here?"

Dumbledore held his hand to the door, politely, "By all means."

Sirius glared at him, putting a hand on James's shoulder. The four trudged out of the office, their heads hung.

They got to the end of the corridor, before James managed to punch the wall.

"Blimey, mate!" Lupin cried, restraining James.

"I always trusted Dumbledore, even before I came to Hogwarts," James said, his eyes stinging once more, "When we got here, I always thought that he'd support us, no matter what."

Sirius sighed, kicking the floor.

Peter grimaced, What are we supposed to do, now?"

"We still fight," James said, firmly.


	12. Chapter Ten: Fools In April

Chapter Ten: Fools In April

"Ouch! You stepped on my foot!"

James quickly clamped his hand over Peter's mouth. Sirius slapped the boy on the back of the head, and the four Marauders started forward, again.

It had been over a month since Dumbledore's "betrayal", and James had become increasingly paranoid.

It didn't help that the Marauders had been punished for jinxing Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Lucius. When they weren't in their classes, they were confined to the Gryffindor Common Room. They hadn't been outside in weeks; not even for Herbology. Professor McGonagall had seen to it that special rearrangements were made, to ensure that the Marauders wouldn't leave the castle.

A clock overhead signaled that it was midnight. The four were creeping under James's invisibility cloak, trying to get outside for a breath of fresh air.

In hindsight, it was astounding that they didn't think of this plan, before. James knew that his dad only wanted him to use the cloak in emergencies. Then again, this qualified as an emergency in the Marauders' eyes.

"Nearly there!" Lupin breathed, as they entered the Entrance Hall.

A clanging sound suddenly echoed through the school, as a dozen suits of armor rushed towards them, trapping them.

"Aw, come on!" James cried, angrily, ripping the cloak off.

Professor McGonagall was marching towards them, looking triumphant.

"Going somewhere, boys?"

"Professor, we just want some fresh air," Sirius moaned, "We're on edge!"

"We've been locked up for over a month," Lupin explained, patiently.

"Forget it," James sighed, "She's not going to back down. After all, she's creating the rules of this game."

Professor McGonagall raised her eyebrows, "This is not a game, Mr. Potter."

"No," James agreed, "It's more like dancing, isn't it? Every step you make, we're right there with an equal step. Neither one of us is going to back down."

He stared her in the eye as he said, "The problem is Professor, the Marauders are right good dancers."

"If you pace anymore, you'll scuff up your shoes."

James shot a glare at Lupin.

"I don't care about my bloody shoes," James finally snapped, though he did collapse onto the couch.

James sighed, restless. He yearned to go outside; to splash by the shores of the lake, or perhaps sneak a broom for a ride.

Instead, he was stuck in a room that seemed to get smaller by the second.

He was beginning to wonder what the difference was between school and prison.

After all, both had overseers, convicts, and most of all…rules.

Sirius seemed to be taking the imprisonment just as bad. He was poking the fire in the grate, absentmindedly.

"Watch it," Lupin cried, as the sparks nearly seared him.

Sirius blinked, "Sorry," he mumbled.

"We hardly need the fire, anyway," Peter spoke up, "It's so nice outside."

"Too bad we're stuck in here," Sirius sighed, "Blasted cousins! You try to do something nice and you end up regretting it!"

"The price to pay for being a Marauder," James said, bitterly.

"Cheer up," Lupin advised, "Why don't you start your homework?"

"Yeah, homework always cheers me up," James grunted, opening his book.

"Do you have the date?"

Sirius groaned, "I dunno. The days keep running together."

"The first of April is next week," Peter squeaked, as if that was helpful.

James looked up suddenly, "April Fool's Day is just a week away?"

The book forgotten, James jumped up, his mind buzzing with excitement.

"We need to plan the ultimate prank!" James cried, "Something that will surely make up for having to be imprisoned."

"No," Sirius said, his eyes shining, "We need a prank that will force us to go outdoors!"

"What do you suggest?" Lupin asked, hesitantly.

James didn't answer. He was grinning from ear to ear.

April Fool's Day saw the Marauders up at the crack of dawn. They slipped into their school robes, gleefully.

This day was made for the Marauders. A day where the pranksters turned into full-blown maniacs.

They grabbed the schematics and blueprints that they had worked on for the past week; disregarding all homework, in the process.

They waited until the others were in breakfast, and snuck down to the main loo.

"Ugh, it reeks!" Peter whined.

"Well, what did you expect it to smell like?" James grinned.

"You might want to get used to it, mate," Sirius chortled, heaving a box of Dungbombs onto the sink.

Peter sighed, and managed to pull something out of a stall.

"What the bloody hell is that?" James asked.

"A boat," Peter wheezed, "I nicked it from the Boathouse."

"Why in Merlin's name would you want to nick a boat?" Sirius snorted.

Peter flushed, "Well, I expect that we're going to need some mode of transportation after this is over."

"Brilliant, Peter!" James clapped him on the back, "Thinking ahead, contributing to the plan, and nicking things. You're coming off nicely!"

Peter smiled, proudly.

Lupin rubbed the back of his neck, "Are you sure about this?"

"Absolutely," James beamed, "It'll be brilliant."

"What if we get in trouble?" Peter squeaked.

"That's the risk I'm willing to take," Sirius beamed.

"I dunno mate," Lupin sighed, "Setting off a few Dungbombs in the corridors is one thing. But this…this could get us expelled. Or worse."

"I didn't think anything was worse than expulsion," Sirius teased.

James had a crazed look about him, "I'd welcome a visit to Dumbledore's Office."

Lupin was surveying him, closely, "Ah, I get it. You're mad at Dumbledore, because you think that he betrayed you. So you're willing to explode his school, just to get revenge."

"You're looking too far into it," James said, simply, "I'm just restless and need to pull off a prank."

The four scrambled to put on their hazmat suits, which they had nicked from Filch's office. They had amused themselves for hours, wondering why Filch would need a hazmat suit in the first place.

"Ready?" James asked, his voice muffled.

"Yes!" Sirius pumped his fist.

"No," Lupin and Peter groaned.

"It's unanimous!" James grinned.

James grabbed the box of Dungbombs, and poured them into each of the toilets.

He then performed a quick spell that flushed the toilets, simultaneously.

"They shouldn't explode for another twenty seconds," James muttered, "That should be enough time for them to get down to the main irrigation tank."

The floor rumbled beneath their feet. A large explosion issued somewhere below.

It was better than the four could've imagined. The water gushed out of the toilets, much like a brown fountain.

Judging by the explosions and shrieks that came from around them, it was safe to say that the toilets, in the other loos all over the school, had exploded, as well.

The Marauders scrambled into the boat, and waited.

Within seconds, a stream of dirty water was pouring through every corridor. After only minutes, it was a roaring river of sewage.

The tide was enough to pick up the boat, sending it sailing down the corridor.

The Marauders laughed, as they watched students struggle. People were either falling into the sewage, trying to scramble out of the way, or vomiting at the mess.

James stood at the bow of the boat, proudly. When they finally reached the Grand Staircase, they roared with laughter.

The water was rushing down every staircase, falling off the landings, so that it appeared to be a giant, disgusting, waterfall.

The staff was in complete dismay. They were running around, ushering the students outside.

The Marauders eventually made it to the Entrance Hall, where they were met with a furious Professor McGonagall.

The four grinned from ear-to-ear as they endured their yelling.

The threats of detentions, expulsions, and letters home meant nothing to them.

For one splendid day, they had thwarted the system.

Professor McGonagall finally gave up, hissing, "Well at least we got everyone out in time."

She pulled out a piece of parchment, evidently doing a head count, "Let's see…the Silverson twins…Smelling, Arthur…but where's Snape?"

"Oh no," James whispered, paling.

"Did anybody see him come out?" Lupin asked, nervously.

Professor McGonagall was besides herself, "You…you…"

The water had poured into the Dungeons, where it was now collecting. The entire Dungeons were now flooded.

"Don't worry," James said hastily, before Professor McGonagall could explode.

They rushed over to the doorway, peering into the flood.

James quickly redressed himself in his hazmat suit, but not before taking off his belt. The belt was specially designed to expand into a long rope, which is exactly what James made it do.

He handed it to Sirius.

"What are you doing?" Sirius roared, right before James dove into the water.

He knew that he only had a few precious minutes, before the suit would run out of oxygen. He swam through the muck, searching for any sign of life.

Through the water, he could hear the sounds of muffled screaming.

James was finally able surface in a room with a high-arched ceiling. The water had not yet reached the top.

The first thing he saw was Snape, trying desperately to tread the water.

"Quit your whining and grab on!" James snapped.

Snape glared daggers at him, before taking James's sleeve. James pulled on the rope. Sirius gave it a massive tug, and the two zoomed back through the water and into the Entrance Hall.

"Wicked!" Sirius roared, thumping him on the back.

"Nice save, mate," Lupin admitted, shyly.

Snape sneered, "You did not save me. You saved yourself. You would've gotten expelled if anything had happened to me."

"True," James admitted, lightly, "I did care more about my own skin than yours."

He broke off thoughtfully, "Still, I can't imagine that there's a worse death than drowning in your own crap."

Snape glared at him, before stomping away.

Roaring with laughter, the Marauders went outside, where Professor Dumbledore was making mock-shelters for the students.

As nighttime drew nearer, Dumbledore conjured sleeping bags, for everyone.

Still dripping with sewage, James watched as Sirius ran across the grounds, laughing wildly. Peter was sniffing the flowers, looking euphoric. Lupin was sitting by the lake, soaking his feet in the cool water.

James grinned and laid back, staring at the stars that dotted the inky sky.


	13. Chapter Eleven: Easter

Chapter Eleven: Easter

The air was filled with the sounds of hexes and curses.

James and Sirius were laughing as they jinxed Snape, mercilessly.

Lupin and Peter stood by, looking cross between amused and anxious.

The Marauders and Professor McGonagall seemed to have reached a stalemate. They were allowed to leave the Common Room, providing to keep their wands to themselves.

The Marauders decided that Snape was the exception to the rule.

"Potter! Black! Leave him alone!"

James and Sirius cringed, but relaxed, upon seeing that it was only Lily Evans.

She was marching towards them, looking furious.

"You two are nothing more than arrogant, bullying, toe rags!" she spat. She then handed James a letter.

"What's that?" James asked, mildly surprised.

"Your owl dropped it off at the Owlry. Seeing as how you four are still trapped in the school, I decided to be mature and deliver it to you."

"Blimey!" James cried, horrified, "I forgot all about Bandit!"

"Don't worry," Lily said, rather shyly, "I've been feeding him for you."

"Thanks," James said, relieved, before smirking seductively, "For someone who claims to hate me, you're sure helping me out."

She glared at him, before grabbing Snape's arm. The two walked off.

James chuckled and opened the envelope, reading the letter. He then brightened, saying, "My mum and dad invited me to come home for the Easter holidays."

Sirius grimaced, "My parents requested me to come to my house, as well."

"Bad luck, mate," James sighed.

He grabbed a piece of parchment and scrawled down his address.

"Here's my address: As soon as you're able to get to a fireplace, take the Floo Network over to my house."

"Deal," Sirius grinned.

"Say, how long has it been since Snape and Lily left?" he asked, suddenly.

"I dunno, why?" Peter asked.

Sirius smirked, "I snuck a Dungbomb into Snape's pocket."

A muffled explosion, a cloud of yellow smoke, and two shrieks told the Marauders that the Dungbomb had exploded.

They roared with laughter, before running for their lives.

The Potter reunion was a warm and welcoming one. Mr. and Mrs. Potter hugged and kissed James, excitedly. Even though James loved Hogwarts, he felt a surge of joy as they arrived at the farmhouse.

Mrs. Potter immediately started baking James's favorite treats. Mr. Potter and James went into the parlor.

"Now then," Mr. Potter said, "I know that you've been asking Alastor Moody and I to send you Auror supplies. Why is this?"

James shrugged, "It's just like I explained in my letters. Hogwarts was nearly attacked by Death Eaters. We need to help protect it."

Mrs. Potter bustled in, carrying a platter of sweets, "Well, I for one think that you four are too young to be worrying about such things. It's much too dangerous."

"It is pretty risky," Mr. Potter admitted.

"We can handle anything," James said bracingly.

Mr. Potter nodded, "A good soldier knows when to stand down, James. At any rate, have their been any more attacks on Hogwarts?"

"No," James admitted, "Though, we have been following a couple of Sirius's cousins who are causing trouble. We think that they're after the tomb of Slytherin."

Mr. Potter raised an eyebrow, "The tomb of Slytherin?"

James spent the next hour narrating everything that they had found out.

"…and then Professor Dumbledore didn't believe us at all," James finally finished.

Mr. Potter looked intrigued, "I wouldn't worry about it too much, James. After all, Dumbledore seems to think everything's fine. And above anything else, you should always trust Albus Percival Wulfric Brian Dumbledore."

Mr. and Mrs. Potter allowed James to invite the other Marauders over on Easter Day. They toured the farmhouse, admiringly.

"Nice, mate," Lupin mumbled, timidly.

The three then had to endure many hugs and gushing speeches from Mrs. Potter, who seemed delighted that James had finally made three friends.

Sirius and Mr. Potter shook hands, as though they were old friends. Mrs. Potter gave him an extra hug, before saying, "How have your parents been, dear? Is everything alright? You're welcome to stay here, you know."

"Thanks Mrs. Potter," Sirius mumbled, embarrassed, "I'll remember that."

The six sat down to a wonderful dinner, that would've made the Hogwarts house-elves jealous.

When they were done, Mr. Potter's eyes twinkled as he said, "So, James tells me that you three have been causing mayhem at the school?"

Sirius shrugged, his mouth full of ham, "We try."

"Well," Mr. Potter smirked, "Let's see how well your Auror Training has taught you. I don't suppose you boys would be interested in an Easter Egg hunt?"

The four heads snapped up, excitedly.

Mr. Potter chuckled, and motioned for everyone to follow him. They went outside, where James's mum grinned, "We've hidden fifty eggs around the farm."

"I see one!" Peter said suddenly, pointing to a tree branch.

Mr. Potter smiled, "Very good. Though, might I say that these eggs will not be easy to get. It will be a perfect way to test your skills."

"It will be a perfect way to have _fun_," Mrs. Potter corrected.

"I think that teams are in order," Mr. Potter said, rubbing his hands together, "Let's see then. How about Sirius and James against Remus and Peter."

"Lupin, sir, if you don't mind," Lupin mumbled.

"Lupin and Peter, then," Mr. Potter said, smoothly.

"Ready?" Mrs. Potter said, "Set…"

"Go!" the Marauders roared, charging forward.

They reached the tree that Peter had pointed out, and Sirius and Peter began to climb. Sirius reached the egg first. He popped it open, and was delighted to find a galleon.

He slid back down, roaring, "One down, ninety-nine to go!"

He and James high-fived, before racing off.

The next two eggs they found were in the barn, hidden amongst the hay.

James was suddenly struck with an idea, "Say Sirius, if we take one of the horses, we'll be able to cross ground twice as fast!"

He crossed to his favorite horse, Scarlet, and quickly climbed on.

Sirius grabbed the other horse, and the two galloped off.

"Oi! No fair!" Lupin roared, as they galloped past them.

"All is fair in war," James called. The two headed into the pasture, where they were met with training dummies.

They trotted around, jinxing the dummies easily. They forfeited half a dozen eggs, which James added to the basket, gleefully.

The two then went over to the gutters, where Sirius took a shrinking solution. He went up the pipes, coming out with three more eggs.

They proceeded to the pond, where James dove in. He came up with half a dozen more, saying, "I prefer diving into the pond than into sewer water."

After half an hour of running around, the two teams met up. Peter and Lupin rode were riding on one of the cows.

"You stole our cow?" James roared with laughter.

"You two ran off with both horses," Lupin flushed.

They compared eggs, realizing that each team had twenty-five.

They laughed, filled with pride, adrenaline, and sweat.

James took the galleons that were hidden in the eggs, and pushed them into Lupin's hands, "Here, you take these."

Lupin reddened, "No, James. We should separate them, evenly."

"We have enough money," James said, "Take them or I'll hex you."

"Thanks," Lupin mumbled, embarrassed.

"Blimey, I'm wiped out," Sirius yawned, "I suppose I should get back to Grimmauld Place, before my parents kill me."

"Sirius, you know that you can stay here," James said, quietly.

"Yeah, well, they've been semi-hostile," Sirius shrugged, "Anyway, I'll see you four at Hogwarts."

James didn't have to wait that long.

Three days later, the fireplace burst to life. A figure stumbled out, looking wild.

"Sirius," James said, expectantly.

"Hello dear," Mrs. Potter beamed.

"How are you, son?" Mr. Potter asked.

"Hello Mr. and Mrs. Potter," Sirius said, hastily, "James, you need to come to my house, right away. It's urgent!"

James gave a start, before turning to his parents, "Can I?"

Mrs. Potter hesitated, before turning to her husband, "Perhaps you should go with them, dear."

"Mum, we've faced far worst this year," James grinned.

Mrs. Potter wasn't sure whether or not that was a good thing. She then remembered something, "But James, dear, you don't do well with Floo Powder. Remember the last time? It made your tummy upset?"

"Mum!" James groaned, as Sirius roared with laughter.

Nevertheless, James and Sirius jumped back into the fireplace.

James felt his world spin around. Sirius's head seemed to be merging with his own.

He finally stumbled out, resisting the urge to vomit.

Sirius grabbed his underneath his arms, holding him steady.

"You alright, mate?" he whispered, alarmed.

"I'm fine," James wheezed.

He looked around. They were in a dismal room, that looked as though it were from the medieval era. A large bed sat in the corner, covered in cobwebs. James realized that this must be Sirius's room.

"What's so urgent, then?"

"Bellatrix and Narcissa are visiting," Sirius murmered, "They're in the drawing room, talking up a storm. They seem excited."

He put a finger to his lips and the two crept down the hall.

They stopped outside a door, where they crouched, listening.

"Keep your voice down!" Bellatrix was hissing.

There was the sound of shuffling feet, as someone paced the room.

"This place is simply revolting," Narcissa snapped.

"Kreacher!" someone called.

James peered in the keyhole and saw an old house-elf Apparate into the room.

"Yes, Mistress Bella?"

"You would do well to clean this room," Bellatrix sneered, "While you're at it, you can draw up a platter of sandwiches and some tea."

"Of course, Mistress."

The room was silent, as Narcissa and Bellatrix greedily ate.

"Lucius is sure that he found the entrance," Narcissa finally whispered.

"How do we know that Lucius didn't nick all of the possessions already?"

"Bella! I trust Lucius. He's my boyfriend! Besides, Lucius said that you can only get in during the waxing crescent moon."

"Fine," Bellatrix crowed, "Just wait, Cissy! In a few weeks, we'll be the strongest women in the universe! All we need to do is feed the snake some of our blood!"

"That's revolting," Sirius mumbled, rather loudly.

The door flew open and Narcissa and Bellatrix swelled with anger.

"Run!" James roared.

The two raced back into Sirius's room, avoiding his cousin's hexes. They had barely managed to dive into the fireplace, landing back in James's den.

"What happened?" Mr. Potter asked, alarmed.

"I knew that they were trying to break into the tomb!" James gasped, clutching his side, "We have to stop them!"

"Calm down," Mr. Potter said, "Now, what happened?"

"Bellatrix and Narcissa were at Sirius's house," James panted, "They were talking about how they found the entrance to the tomb!"

"They said something about it being behind a snake!" Sirius added.

James suddenly gasped, "Sirius, there's a large statue of a snake, just outside the Potion's Dungeons!"

"You don't think…" Sirius gasped.

"They're going to break in, within weeks!" James cried, "We have to do something!"

"You don't have to do anything, dear," Mrs. Potter soothed, "I'm sure that Dumbledore will sort it out."

"Dumbledore doesn't trust us," James muttered, "Quite frankly, I don't trust Dumbledore, either."

Mr. Potter looked at his son, horrified.

James stomped his foot, "He was the one who gave us the means and the weapons to fight for Hogwarts. Now, he's sitting back and blatantly refusing to help us."

Mr. Potter pursed his lips, "Perhaps you aren't the ones who need help. Perhaps he's waiting for you to help him."

"How?" Sirius asked, desperately.

"I don't know," Mr. Potter admitted, "Listen, I'll contact the Auror Office first thing in the morning. In the meantime, try not to worry about it."

"Sirius dear, why don't you stay here, until you go back to Hogwarts tomorrow?" Mrs. Potter suggested.

Sirius reddened, "That's okay Mrs. Potter."

"If you go back to your house, now, you'll be walking into a wall of hexes," James pointed out, "Come on, you can kip in my room."

The two went up, but hardly got any sleep. They paced the room all night, contemplating about the tomb of Slytherin.


	14. Chapter Twelve: The Sacrifice

Chapter Twelve: The Sacrifice

James could hardly believe that the year was wrapping up so quickly. It seemed only yesterday that he had first walked into the magnificent castle. Then again, it also seemed as if he had spent his entire lifetime at Hogwarts.

The days were boiling hot, especially in the classrooms where the final exams were taking place.

James didn't know how he managed to pass his exams, when he expected the world to crumble at any moment.

Sirius seemed just as anxious. Peter, who had hidden in the cupboard after James had told him what they had overheard, was choosing not to worry about it. Lupin still remained skeptical.

"That wasn't so bad," Lupin exclaimed, as they walked out of their Transfiguration exam, "I thought for sure that she was going to test us on the color-changing charm. Alright then, James?"

"I'm fine," James said, his eyes narrowed. He was staring down the corridor, at Bellatrix and Narcissa.

"Relax, mate," Lupin said, bracingly, "Come on, then. We only have the Astronomy test tonight. Then we'll be done with exams."

"Right," James said, slowly, "Right."

They headed down to the lake, where they sat underneath a birch tree. The summer breeze blew at the pages of their books.

"Darn," Peter mumbled, "I don't know any of the moon phases. What's tonight supposed to be, again?"

"The waxing crescent, Peter," Lupin said, patiently.

James looked up, and felt the blood drain from his face.

"What?" Lupin cried, shocked, "James, are you ill?"

"The waxing crescent," James repeated, exchanging horrified glances with Sirius.

"What's going on?" Lupin demanded.

"Tonight," Sirius breathed, "It's going to happen tonight."

"What's going to happen?" Peter asked.

"Bellatrix, Lucius, and Narcissa are going to break into the tomb of Slytherin," James said, quietly.

Peter squeaked.

Lupin was giving James a strange look, "Are you certain?"

"Yes," James said, fiercely, "It exists, Remus, and it holds the world's most valuable weapons. It'll be broken into, tonight."

Hazel eyes met golden. At long last, Lupin nodded, "Alright. What do we do?"

James was too worked up to be grateful for Lupin's support.

"We need to get to the tomb before them," James said, "We have to destroy whatever's inside."

The moon shone through the Common Room windows. The Marauders sat around, anxiously.

Tucked in their robes was practically every weapon and device that the Auror Office had provided.

James drummed his fingers against the arm of the chair. They needed to wait for everyone to leave, so that they wouldn't attract attention.

After a while, Lily Evans was the only one who remained.

"Shouldn't you be going to bed, Evans?" James asked.

Lily glared daggers at him, "I want to stay up and study for my Astronomy test."

"Why don't you study in your dormitory," Lupin advised, "It'll be quieter."

Lily's eyes narrowed, "What's wrong with you four? You're acting odd."

"Nothing's wrong," James said, hastily.

He glanced up at the clock, which chimed nine.

"We need to go," he whispered. The other Marauders nodded, solemnly.

They stood up, but Lily blocked their path, "What is going on?"

"Step aside, Lily," James pleaded.

"If you four get caught slinking around at nighttime, again, you'll be expelled!"

Lupin's eyes widened. It was evident that he had not thought of this.

"We need to take the risk," James said quietly, putting a hand on Lupin's shoulder.

The latter nodded.

Lily was besides herself, "What is so important that you would risk expulsion?"

"Look," James burst out, "When Salazar Slytherin died, he was buried in a tomb, along with all of his prized possessions-which just so happen to be his crafted weapons! If someone were to get these weapons, they would become the most powerful person in the world! Now, Bellatrix and Narcissa Black know this. So they're planning to go steal the weapons for themselves. It's our job to go destroy the weapons, so that they can't steal them, so that they won't become evil overlords! So step aside!"

Lily opened and closed her mouth several times. Finally she whispered, "I'm coming with you."

"No," James said, immediately, "It's too dangerous."

Sirius tilted his head, "I dunno mate. I think she might have to."

"I hate to admit this," Lupin said, quietly, "But I think that Snape has to come with us, as well."

James was shocked, "Why in the bloody the bloody hell would you think that?"

"Think about it," Lupin pressed, "It's Slytherin's tomb. That means that there will most likely be challenges that only a Slytherin can face."

"We'll never get Snivellus to come," Sirius snorted.

"Severus will come if he knows that I'm coming," Lily said, her hands on her hips.

"Alright!" James threw his hands into the air, "Quickly!"

They hurried down to the Dungeons, underneath the Invisibility Cloak.

Sirius tugged James's sleeve, pointing to the enormous Snake statue.

"Severus gave me the password to the Common Room," Lily whispered, "It's purebloods."

"Of course it is," James muttered, before saying the password to the wall.

They squeezed through the crack and quickly hurried up to Snape's dormitory. Sirius clapped a hand over his mouth and dragged the boy underneath the cloak. They swiftly left, without a sound.

As soon as they got back into the Dungeons, Snape roared, "What do you idiots think that you're doing?"

"Shut up," James hissed.

"Severus, we need your help," Lily said, sweetly.

Snape's sallow cheeks darkened, and he nodded.

They crept over to the large snake statue.

"Snape, do you mind if we borrow some of your blood?" James asked, casually.

"Absolutely not," Snape snapped.

"Severus, please just do what he says," Lily pleaded.

Sirius pulled an ordinary pin out of his pocket, and pricked Snape's hand.

"Well gone on," James said, awkwardly, "Feed the snake."

"You've got to be joking," Snape said, staring at him in disbelief.

James gave him a solemn look.

Snape gave an irritated sigh. Lupin gave him a boost, and Snape placed his bloody palm into the mouth of the snake.

He jumped back, as though burnt.

A light was pouring out of the mouth, which seemed to be expanding. After a few moments, it was the size of a small tunnel.

"Wicked," Sirius whispered, the light reflecting in his eyes.

"What is this?" Snape roared.

"The tomb of Slytherin," Lupin said, quietly.

They quickly filled Snape in on the story.

James looked at the others, who stared back at him, "If any of you want to turn back now…"

Sirius put a hand on his shoulder, "We're with you, all the way, mate."

Lupin and Peter nodded.

"I'm with you, too," Lily whispered, shyly.

Snape didn't say anything. He finally gave a curt nod.

James took a deep breath and climbed through the hole, into complete darkness.

He could feel that they were on a descending staircase.

"Follow me," he whispered.

The six crept down the stairs for what seemed like hours.

"Look," Peter's voice squeaked, "I see a light!"

At long last, they entered a vaulted room.

James cautiously stepped forward. The floor was scalding hot, filled with large fractures.

He yelped, jumping back.

The others joined him, vigilantly.

"Come on," James said, swallowing.

The six inched their way across the room.

Lupin cleared his throat, "Has anyone noticed that the cracks are getting bigger?"

James looked down. There were now clear visible fractures, where molten lava was spewing.

James stumbled backwards to avoid being burned, but nearly got scorched from a crack behind him. The crack opened wider and wider, spreading, until the six were loosing their footings.

"The entire floor's collapsing!" Lily shrieked.

"We need to go back!" Lupin cried, horrified.

"No!" James exclaimed, "We can make it! Run for it!"

The six raced carefully towards the other end of the room. All around them, the floor was trembling, giving away to a sea of magma.

All at once, with a giant lurch, the room split in half.

Lily screamed as she and Snape fell backwards on one side of the crack; the Marauders falling onto the other side.

"Lily!" James roared.

There was now a huge river of lava spewing in the center of the tomb. There was no way that Lily could cross it. There was also, James realized, no way that they could get back. He didn't give that a thought, however.

Gasping in pain, James sat up. His head was sticky, and something was trickling down his neck. He hardly noticed. He was too busy staring at Lily's limp body.

"Lily, are you okay?" James whispered.

Snape managed to get up, and began to shake Lily, who flopped like a doll.

She finally grunted, opening her eyes.

"Are you okay?" James called.

"Yes," Lily whimpered, holding her wrist.

"Go back," James ordered. He turned to Snape, saying quietly, "You'll stay with her?"

Snape nodded, "Always."

The Marauders watched them go, apprehensively.

They then turned, staring at the door that stood before them.

James swallowed, nervously. Sirius placed a hand on his shoulder. James swallowed once more, nodding.

The Marauders walked forward, together, ready to face whatever may come.


	15. Chapter Thirteen: The Tomb of Slytherin

A/N: It all comes down to this. I want to make a quick note about the dragon scene. I realize that there may be several parallels between the dragon scene and the Gringotts scene in _Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows._ However, please note that this story was planned and written many years ago. Any similarities between the two scenes are purely coincidental.

Chapter Thirteen: The Tomb of Slytherin

The darkness swallowed around the Marauders, as they pushed forward. Sirius and Peter held up torches, yet they hardly helped light the path.

They plunged into uncertainty as they continued walking.

Lupin began to cough, violently.

"Are you alright?" James whispered.

"Fine," Lupin wheezed, "Has anyone else noticed that the tunnel's gotten smoky?"

Indeed, wisps smoke curled around them.

A low roaring noise could be heard, rattling the walls.

"What is that?" Peter squeaked, hiding behind Sirius.

"I have a hunch," James said, quietly. They stepped forward, entering another chamber.

Peter let out an anguished scream, that was muffled by Lupin's hand.

A scarlet dragon was sleeping in the middle of the chamber. Thousands of beautiful scales lined its body. Smoke exited its nostrils, and it's claws pierced the floor.

Peter's knees gave away, and Sirius and Lupin caught him.

"Brilliant," Lupin whispered, "Don't you see? A reptile that breathes fire. It's the perfect combination of Gryffindor and Slytherin."

James didn't answer. He was staring at the large hole in the ceiling.

The four stepped forward, and the door swung shut. Lupin jiggled the handle.

"It's locked," he said, looking pale.

"There isn't another door," Sirius noted, "The only way out is…"

"Through the ceiling," James finished.

"Do we have any climbing gear?" Lupin asked.

"Yeah," James whispered, "But it's a straight shot upwards. There's nothing to hold onto."

A horrible thought occurred to him, "We have to ride the dragon."

Peter collapsed again. This time, Sirius and Lupin let him fall.

Their robes were already flame retardant, due to the modifications that Lupin had cleverly made.

James pulled out four pairs of goggles, which the Marauders put on. They also put on special gloves, that allowed them to tightly grip anything.

"Come on, then," James whispered. He crept over to the dragon, and climbed onto it's back, holding onto the scales.

Sirius, Lupin, and Peter got on behind him, holding onto each other, tightly.

"Right," James whispered, shaking, "Right…"

"How do we wake it?" Sirius whispered. He gave the dragon's side several smart kicks, yet it didn't move.

"Draco dormiens nunquam titillandus," Lupin said, softly.

"Come again?"

"It's the school motto," Lupin whispered, "Never tickle a sleeping dragon."

"Why not?" Peter whimpered.

"Because then it'll wake up, you twit," Sirius snapped.

James took a deep breath, reached forward, and scratched the dragon's muzzle.

Sirius and Lupin had just managed to pull James back, before a burst of fire emitted from the dragon's nostrils.

It's bulging eyes opened and it slowly raised itself up to full height.

Twenty-foot wings suddenly uncoiled. The Marauders clung on tightly, as the dragon rose into the air.

"Bloody hell," Sirius whispered, his face a sickly green color.

Without warning, the dragon shot up through the ceiling. They accelerated at such a rate, that the Marauders couldn't help slipping.

James managed to grab onto one of the spike's on it's back. Sirius was just able to grab onto James's shoe. Lupin held onto Sirius, and Peter was stuck clinging onto the dragon's tail.

When it seemed as though they would never stop, the dragon suddenly burst through a glass ceiling.

It hovered in midair. James opened his eyes, and saw that they were in front of a glass door.

The dragon reared back and blew fire. The four watched, fascinated, as the door burnt to shards.

The dragon then bowed its neck, indicating for the others to get off.

They slid down, onto the landing. James patted the dragon on the snout, and it zoomed back into the darkness.

Lupin stared after it, worried.

"It'll be fine," James said, bracingly.

The Marauders cautiously entered the next room. It was quite small. A superlative statue of an eagle sat in the center. Behind the eagle sat two doors.

Sirius started forward, but James caught his arm. He pointed to a scroll that was clamped in the eagle's beak.

Lupin took it, cautiously. His brow furrowed as he read:

'**One door will lead to the tomb**

**The other shall lead to your doom**

**Only one question you must ask**

**To determine through which door to pass**

**One door tells only lies**

**If entered, you will meet your demise**

**The other door speaks only truth**

**If entered, you'll reach the tomb.'**

"Brilliant," Lupin whispered, "It's a riddle."

"Brilliant," James repeated, sarcastically, "So we have to come up with a question for one of the doors to answer. How the bloody hell are we supposed to do that?"

"Give me a minute," Lupin hissed. He began to pace the room, muttering to himself. After a quarter of an hour, he looked up. His eyes were gleaming.

"Of course," he whispered.

He crossed over to the first door, cleared his throat, and asked, "Do both doors lead to the tomb?"

"What kind of question is that?" Sirius hissed angrily.

The door glowed, and a deep voice whispered, "Indeed."

Lupin smirked, and crossed to the other door. He opened it, and ushered the other three inside.

James waited for pain and agony, but it didn't come. He opened his eyes, and saw that they were standing in a marvelous chamber. The walls were made of shimmering marble. A statue of a man stood in the center of the chamber. A key glistened in the statue's hand.

On the far end of the room was a large, magnificently-detailed, door. Inscription on the top of the door read:

_**The Tomb of Salazar Slytherin.**_

_**The Door Shall Open To The Person Who Has The Blood of a Slytherin, Yet The Heart of a Gryffindor.**_

"Brilliant," James whispered.

He stepped forward and carefully took the key from the statue.

He glanced at the others, who nodded, encouragingly.

James took a deep breath and stepped forward. He carefully inserted the key into the large keyhole.

Immediately, the room began to shake. James fell backwards, catching the key as it shot out of the hole.

"James, look!" Peter moaned.

The statue's mouth opened and began to gush water, violently.

Within moments, the entire chamber was filling up. James tried to insert the key into the hole again, but nothing happened.

He tried a third time, banging on the door.

"James, stop!" Lupin cried. James spun around and saw, to his horror, that the water was up to the Marauders' waists.

"Why won't it open?" he asked frantically, "The key is a perfect fit!"

Peter went to step forward, but tripped. He fell into the water, flapping his arms frantically.

"I can't swim!"

James rushed over, pulling him up.

"Here, hang onto the statue!" he snarled.

He then swam back over to the door, trying desperately to open it. He pulled the handles with all of his strength. He swore, pounding the door. He then peered into the keyhole. He could see immense piles of gold and silver, as well as several different swords and other weapons.

An aggressive splash told him that the water had risen above the keyhole. James suddenly realized that he was treading water. He looked back to the others, and found that they were desperately trying to stay afloat.

Sirius, meanwhile, had gone to the door from which they came in. It was locked, and no amount of budging seemed to open it. Lupin was busy trying to keep Peter above the water.

James decided that enough was enough. He reached into his robes and pulled out a special cloth, which he wrapped around his mouth and nose. The cloth was designed to allow a person to breathe oxygen, no matter what substance they were in. Sirius tossed him an underwater torch, and Peter gave him a wedge and hammer.

James dove underneath the water, and began to work on the door. After a few minutes, he realized that the door was simply unmovable.

He broke back to the surface, and was shocked when his head hit a part of the ceiling. The water had pushed them to the top of the chamber. They were running out of room.

James tried to not panic, as he looked around. He read the inscription above the door, as he tried to stay afloat. It wasn't easy; the water was now coming in waves, which crashed onto the four Marauders mercilessly.

"Sirius!" James cried, suddenly, "It has to be you!"

"What?" Sirius gurgled, trying to tread water.

"You need to open it! You have the blood of Slytherin…"

A wave of water overthrew James, sending him spinning.

He broke surface, to find that he only had several precious moments left. He gagged on water before tossing the key to Sirius. The latter looked horrified.

"Sirius, trust me!" James roared.

The two stared at each other, exchanging a silent conversation of reliance and companionship. Sirius sighed and dove, swimming to the large vault door. He took the key and managed to slide it into the keyhole.

There was an explosion of bright light. The water gushed into the tomb, with a force that shattered the weapons on contact. It didn't help decrease the water in the chamber, however.

Sirius shot to the surface, gasping for breath.

"It's gone," he gagged, "The tomb is destroyed."

"That's what we wanted," James roared, before adding, "Isn't it?"

Peter let out a sob. The noise brought James to attention.

Looking around, James suddenly seemed to realize the severity of the situation. He realized that there was no way out. He wanted to scream, to weep, but he knew that it wouldn't do any good.

He swallowed and took a deep breath, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be," Lupin croaked.

James nodded, his throat tightening.

"James?" Sirius whispered, "What do we do now?"

James looked around him. The other three stared at him for guidance. Their faces were flooded with fear and defeat. But then, another expression came forward; one that was worse than terror or downfall. It was the pure, heartbreaking, expression of acceptance.

James grabbed Peter's arm, using his other arm to grasp Sirius's. Peter grabbed Lupin's arm, and Lupin grabbed Sirius's free arm.

Their arms were linked together, but there was another bond. It was the bond of friendship and trust, despair and hope, faith and love.

"We did it," Sirius whispered, tears mixing with water.

James closed his eyes tightly.

"Mischief Managed," he whispered before being pulled under.

James's world was whirling. He spun around, sinking further from the surface.

Pain, unlike anything he had ever imagined, spread throughout his body. As the last bubbles gurgled from his mouth, James watched as everything faded to black. It was a darkness so engulfing, that James didn't know where, let alone who, he was.

The only reason he knew that he was still alive was that the pain was unbearable. He could hear a loud roaring. It was thunderous and soon grew to deafening levels.

Than, everything exploded.

James opened his eyes. He was standing on a bed of silvery mist in a bright, white, room with no walls or ceilings. There was nothing around him, other than the wispy fog and whiteness. He wasn't sure what to do, and after a moment, decided it was probably best if he waited.

After an eternity, or perhaps several seconds, James finally saw something. A lion was emerging from the mist in front of him. It was big and strong with a wild mane and kind eyes. An eerie glow was emitting from it.

Behind the lion walked a badger. Behind the badger, a large eagle flew. Behind the eagle, a snake slithered.

James watched as the lion and the snake transformed into men; the badger and the eagle transforming into women.

He realized that he was staring at none other than the four founders: Godric Gryffindor, Helga Hufflepuff, Rowena Ravenclaw, and Salazar Slytherin.

They were god-like in appearance.

"Rise, child of Hogwarts; son of Gryffindor," Godric Gryffindor rumbled, "You, indeed, have the bravery of a lion."

Helga Hufflepuff spoke up, "As well as the loyalty of a badger."

"Such it is, that you also possess the freedom of a eagle," said Rowena Ravenclaw, softly.

"Aye," Salazar Slytherin agreed, coldly, "You also have the cunning mischievous of the serpent."

James didn't know what to say. He blinked quickly, before saying, "So, what happens now?"

"Ah," Godric Gryffindor looked thoughtful, "That is up to you."

James was stunned, "I have a choice?"

"Yes," Godric Gryffindor said, smiling.

James hung his head, "There's no pain here," he noted, childishly.

Godric Gryffindor shook his head, "No, there is not. Nor, will there ever be."

Yet, James had made up his mind, "I want to be wherever my friends are. We stick together, in life and in death."

Salazar Slytherin spoke up, "You would make that sacrifice? You would choose to experience the pain, if it means being with your friends?"

"The pain will pass eventually," James said, numbly, "Friendship lasts an eternity."

"Spoken like a true Gryffindor," Godric Gryffindor smiled. There was a burst of golden light as he transformed back into a lion.

He gave an immense roar, and James was thrown into darkness once more.

James opened his eyes.

He wasn't underwater, yet the world was still spinning around.

When it finally straightened, James saw that he was staring at the celestial sky. Moons and stars swirled around him.

James groaned, his head drooping. When he looked back up, the heavens now transformed to an intricate moon and star pattern on a hat.

James closed his eyes. When he opened them again, he saw the kind face of Professor Dumbledore.

"Professor…" James whispered, perplexed.

"Good morning, James," Dumbledore said, pleasantly, "How are you?"

"Confused," James mumbled.

Dumbledore chuckled, merrily, "Yes, I can imagine. You have gone through quite a serious trauma. Alas, you gave Madam Pomfrey quite a scare."

James looked around, his head pounding. He was in the Hospital Wing.

Dumbledore continued, "She was at her wits end trying to revive you and your friends. I really should give her a raise."

Distracted, James tried to sit up but a flash of white pain shot through him. Yelling out in pain, he fell back.

"Please relax, dear boy," Dumbledore said, calmly, "I assume you are inquiring about the state of your friends? Yes, they should be coming to any moment now."

Holding his head, James saw the figures of Sirius, Lupin, and Peter, lying respectively on the beds next to him. They looked as though they were in a deep sleep. They were covered with bruises, scars, casts, and bandages. However, they looked like they would pull through.

Sighing in relief, James quickly voiced his concerns, "Sir, the tomb! What happened? How did we get out?"

"I do beg for your forgiveness, but as it is tedious to have to repeat oneself, I will explain everything once we have the others amongst us."

There wasn't a long wait. Madame Pomfrey soon woke the others up. Despite the shooting pain, they embraced each other excitedly. Once the confusion and thrill of survival passed, they settled down to listen to Dumbledore.

"First, I must ask for your forgiveness," Dumbledore said, softly, "I know that I disappointed you, James, when I refused to help you. Please note, that as soon as you expressed your concerns, I did everything that I could to investigate. However, I didn't end up doing anything. Instead, I decided to stand down and see what you four were going to do. Over the past year, you have shown remarkable bravery. You have stood up against those who have threatened Hogwarts. What happened in the tomb of Slytherin was a perfect test of your strength and friendship. I'm happy to say that you passed."

The Marauders sat, numbly, too stunned to say anything.

Finally, James smiled, "So you're saying that you didn't betray us, after all? You were just challenging us?"

Dumbledore bowed his head, but winked.

James grinned, "As admiral as your apology is Professor, you should know by now that you should never challenge the Marauders."

The diluted smoke swirled around the Hogwarts Express. The Marauders leaned against the train, staring out onto Hogsmeade Station.

Everyone who passed them either stopped and gawked, or burst into applause.

Thanks to their heroism, the Marauders had guarenteed that Gryffindor had won the House Cup.

James grinned, running a hand through his hair. He winked, and pumped his fist, eating up the applause.

"You save the world, and your head swells like a Dungbomb," Lupin smirked.

Peter squeaked, as miscellaneous sweets spilled out onto the platform. The others laughed, as he scrambled about, before helping him pick them up. James knew that Peter had probably gotten them from a quick trip to Hogsmeade.

Bandit screeched in his cage. James stroked him, affectionately, before realizing that Bandit was signaling Dumbledore's arrival.

Dumbledore didn't say anything. He merely winked and waved.

James grinned as he boarded the train. Next to him, Peter burst into tears.

"What's wrong with you?" Sirius asked, astonished.

"We had so many adventures," Peter said, miserably, "What if I forget them?"

"We won't forget," James said, bracingly.

He laughed, remembering as the four were hoisted onto everyone's shoulders, as Dumbledore announced that they had won the house cup.

He remembered how Lily had hugged him, carefully, as to not bump her temporary arm sling.

He remembered how Bellatrix, Narcissa, and Lucius were carted off to the Ministry, courtesy of Mr. Potter's Auror Squad.

But mostly he remembered how the Marauders had raised their glasses, vowing to make next year even better.

A/N: Okay, I've got to admit: I'm tearing up a little. I grew attached to this story, and it was hard ending it. The sequel will be on its way soon. Until then: Mischief Managed!


End file.
